The new year brought some good news to the Kitsap Rescue Mission as they have surpassed $130,000 from their fundraising campaign in efforts to bring their old building back up to fire and safety code, reaching their phase one goal.

Kitsap County’s only year-round homeless shelter still has several more phases to complete before the shelter has a permanent spot back in its old building. When it’s all said and done, the rescue mission hopes to provide 45 beds instead of the previous 26. The “Bring Them In” fundraising campaign hopes to raise around $500,000 to bring the building back up to fire and safety code.

With the phase one goal now met, the rescue mission has plans for a general contractor meeting this month to prepare the phase one renovation plan which includes completing the sprinkler system in the old building. Phase one will then be presented to the City of Bremerton, and if approved, construction will begin to give Kitsap Rescue Mission a home once again.

KRM is currently temporarily operating in the upstairs of the Salvation Army where they have 26 shelter beds, but that arrangement ends March 14 when they will close their winter shelter. The rescue mission was shut down after the City of Bremerton decided not to renew their shelter permit due to fire safety concerns with the building back in October.

“Your response is more than I’d dared hope when we first learned the City’s decision to shut down our shelter,” KRM Executive Director Nancy Olsten wrote on their website. “Your generosity and compassion toward our homeless neighbors has been overwhelming.”

In efforts to gain more fundraising for the “Bring Them In” campaign, KRM will be holding a dinner and auction hosted by the Best Western Plus Silverdale Beach Hotel Saturday, Feb. 1 from 5 to 9 p.m. Appetizers and food will be prepared by top chefs from select restaurants across Kitsap County. General admission is $40 and sponsorship tables are $500. Visit kitsaprescue.org to purchase tickets.