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The Bigger Vision provides homeless individuals a setting where they can address the issues which caused their homelessness and find the help they need, when they need it. They cooperate with other homeless service providers for their help. The Community Winter Shelter is their initial program.
The Community Winter Shelter was first organized in 1998 as a mission of the St James United Methodist Church. It was first located in and supported by the church. The shelter became incorporated February 7, 2007, as The Bigger Vision of Athens, a non-profit tax exempt 501(c)3 organization. Funding is now provided by individuals, organizations and churches.
The Bigger Visions’ mission is to provide the individual who is temporarily homeless a warm, dry place to sleep each night on a first-come, first-served basis, by providing assistance as needed to help each person get back on their feet. To do this, each person is provided a drop cloth, a 2” foam mat, two blankets, a pillow and pillow case for the night. A variety of toiletries, socks, hats, and gloves are available upon request as long as donated supplies last.
The location of the Community Winter Shelter has changed five times over the last 12 years. Recently, The Bigger Vision acquired a new building which will double their capacity to serve individuals who are homeless in Athens. Additionally they hope to be able to transition from an emergency winter shelter to a year round community emergency shelter with the acquisition of this building. The Bigger Vision has many qualities that make us unique:
- The Bigger Vision takes no public money. Instead, they exist solely on private funds and donations.
- The Bigger Vision operates under the principle that everybody deserves shelter, regardless of their circumstances. This is why they will never turn away a person because of money, substance use issues, or any other personal reason.
- The Bigger Vision is run with 100% volunteer labor, which means that every cent goes directly to helping others.