ATASCADERO, Calif. - A homeless shelter in Atascadero is in danger of losing its home!
The El Camino Homeless Organization hosted a walk in front of First Baptist Church to raise enough funds to stop it.
For former homeless client Thomas Achuff, it was hard road to get back on his feet until he found ECHO.
"They were just there for me," said Achuff. "Without them, I don't think I could've."
The ECHO organization has housed the homeless for eleven years.
With 30 beds, it is the only homeless shelter in North County.
It moved from church to church for four years until First Baptist Church invited them to stay full time and rent-free.
But now the church is selling the property and ECHO might lose its home.
"When it started coming out that we might have to find another facility, it's terrifying!" said ECHO volunteer Robin Smith.
The organization hosted a "Long Walk Home" to raise enough funds to buy the facility from the church.
"That's what we're fundraising for, to secure this building. It's not a done deal. We are in negotiations but we think it will be," said Smith.
The organization still has to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to secure the facility but the "Long Walk Home" did raise $24,000.
That's good news for others like Achuff.
"I'm really grateful for ECHO. They have blessed me in a thousand ways," said Achuff.
"Without them, I'd probably still be homeless."
