Oprah Wants to Makeover Your Shelter

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-06-09 07:21:00 UTC
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Mismatched furniture. Peeling paint. Out-dated wallpaper.

Sound like your homeless shelter? If so, you're not alone. With demand for shelter on the rise and staff stretched thin, shelter décor is hardly the first thing on any homeless service provider's mind these days.

But, as my former boss and shelter director used to say, like it or not, a person's surroundings can influence their self-worth. A clean, well-maintained facility specifically for those without a home can boost one's dignity and self-confidence.

To that end, Oprah is teaming up with Benjamin Moore paints to give a deserving family homeless shelter a facelift. Entering is easy: simply fill out this short online form and explain why you think your favorite shelter is deserving of a makeover.

If you feel so inclined, share your submission (plea?) in the comment section below. If Oprah won't makeover your shelter, perhaps someone else will.

Worth a shot, right?

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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