In the winter of 2007, after a regular guest at a local meal program failed to appear for several days, it was discovered that he had frozen to death on a park bench in nearby Bloomfield. That tragedy compelled Rev. Wade Renn to establish MESH so that no one in our community would be left without warmth, safety, compassion, and hope during the coldest months of the year.

That same conviction continues to guide our work today.

Over the past nineteen years, MESH has grown from a seasonal overnight respite shelter into a comprehensive continuum of care serving individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability.

In addition to our overnight winter shelter, we also provide nutritious dinners six nights each week, clothing distribution, laundry services, employment assistance, addiction and recovery placement and sober living support—all designed to address both immediate needs and the underlying barriers that keep people from rebuilding their lives.

Each year, MESH serves more than 1,100 unique individuals. We intentionally use the word unique because every person who comes through our doors carries a different story, different challenges and different hopes for the future. 

Our philosophy is simple: people cannot be reduced to numbers.

Lasting change begins when someone feels seen, heard, and valued.