Angel Welsh has worked with homeless shelters in the community for more than a decade. Now, she is bringing a dream to fruition as she announced the upcoming opening of “My Sister’s Keeper,” an emergency shelter for women and children.
Welsh can remember a time when she doubted this day would come.
“My husband (Joe Welsh) predicted this 8 years ago and I thought ‘no way this is going to happen.’ He was the director at St. Benedict’s when we met,” she said. “He got called in late one night and I met him there. I walked behind the desk when he told me I was going to open a women’s shelter one day. … It’s not something I honestly saw happening.”
With a projected opening date in 2022, the new women’s shelter will offer a safe place in time of crisis.
The 20-bed facility will be open from 7 p.m.-7 a.m. with the goal to eventually become a 24-hour shelter.
Welsh also has goals for expansion when the time comes.
“We would also love to add another piece to our puzzle on down the road, which we will share when time allows, but it will help the women learn self-sufficiency and skills,” Welsh said.
Welsh said the name “My Sister’s Keeper” came to her as she prayed about the perfect title for the shelter.
“As women we sometimes forget to lift each other up,” she said. “This is a foundation of women who have been in that tough place. God purposes us to love and take care of one another. That’s what we are doing — taking care of our sisters.”
Welsh said the shelter will need support in the coming months as they get going, but she is confident the community will help.
“Long-term monetary support is a big need and of course once we are up and running, supplies and volunteers,” Welsh said. “Most of all, we need lots of prayers. Prayers for the volunteers that will give their time, prayers for the women and children who will grace our doorstep, and prayers for the support we need from the community.”
The shelter has a Venmo account — @mysisterskeeper270 — set up to receive donations, and a tax exemption form can be provided to any donors.
“I am most excited to see where God leads us,” Welsh said. “Also to have the opportunity to witness women win and rewrite their story. We do not have to become a product of our circumstances and women and children need to be empowered to know they can do anything.”
