The Salvation Army of Greenville, Pickens and Oconee Counties needs to raise $1.5 million by early October to reach its fundraising goal for its campus revitalization project.
Greenville City Councilmember Dorothy Dowe and her husband, Steve, recently made a $250,000 matching gift to encourage community and corporate participation in the capital campaign. If fully leveraged, the dollar-for-dollar match could help generate $500,000 for The Salvation Army.
The organization plans to build a new 42,000-square-foot shelter for people experiencing homelessness called the “Center for Hope” on its campus at 417 Rutherford St. near downtown Greenville. The project will be funded by a $17.5 million capital campaign titled “Rebuilding Hope Restoring Lives.”
“We need the community to step up to help fund this project,” Dorothy Dowe said.
The Salvation Army’s Rutherford Street campus currently has a men’s shelter and a separate shelter for women and children. Both shelters operate at full capacity daily with a waiting list. The new three-story facility will increase the total shelter capacity from 90 beds to 143 beds. It will also create new dedicated shelter units for families along with transitional housing.
Read more about The Salvation Army’s campus revitalization project
“Having seen The Salvation Army, I was really taken aback by how much they do and how passionate everybody there is about helping people and the number of services they offer,” Steve Dowe said. “I was convinced when I walked out the door that it was the right thing to do.”
Fundraising for the Rebuilding Hope Restoring Lives” capital campaign has been ongoing for the past three years. The Salvation Army has set a deadline to complete the campaign by Oct. 1 to keep the project on schedule. Construction is expected to begin in early 2027.
“Every contribution brings us closer to fully funding the project and making our vision a reality,” said Bea Walters Smith, the organization’s director of community relations and development. “The Dowes’ gift will give us a jump start on the next million we need to raise.”
For more information on The Salvation Army’s campus renovation and capital campaign, visit southernusa.salvationarmy.org/greenvillesc/tsa-greenville-shelter-campus-project.
