Updates at the Commons from Executive Director, Elizabeth Dahl Helendi
Dear friends,
My husband and I are expecting our first child (any day now!) and before I officially go on parental leave for the next few months, I wanted to share some exciting news and updates with you all.
Throughout the past year and a half of wildly unexpected and challenging times, Aurora Commons has continued to be a place of compassion and connection. We have served over 20,000 hot meals; our advocates have helped hundreds of people access resources like getting ID, stimulus checks, and benefits; they have supported over 40 people in connecting to permanent housing and shelter.
The depth of support from the Commons community that has made all of this possible is truly humbling. I especially want to thank our dear friends and community at Bethany Community Church (BCC).
BCC stepped in to fill many gaps this year. Volunteers from BCC have been making breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches for our unhoused neighbors three days a week for over a year. They have held clothing & supply drives and put together hygiene packages. In addition to the many ways they have stepped in to support the Commons and our unhoused neighbors, the BCC community recently raised over $1 million dollars for Aurora Commons to invest in our permanent home.
Very soon we will be able to realize an expansion of the Commons that has been a year in the making. Last summer we took over the lease of the space next door. Since then, Andy Carlson and volunteers have been working to transform that space into a beautiful expansion of the Commons. For those of you who have been connected to the Commons for a while, you’ll especially appreciate the newly installed air conditioning(!!). The expansion will provide two private exam rooms for our SHE (Safe Healthy Empowered) Clinic & later this summer will be home to the expanded Aurora Clinic, offering a wider array of primary care services for all of our neighbors who need them.
While we plan to stay at our site for the duration of our lease, we are also evaluating our options beyond the term of the lease. We have the incredible opportunity to purchase property with generous support from Bethany Community Church, and with a match from the Heartsprung Fund, State and City funding, and other partners.
Whether we are here at our current location for the next few years or for the next 20, our commitment is to this neighborhood and to our precious community who continue to find belonging on our stretch of North Aurora Ave.
I am very excited for this next season as much of the groundwork has already been laid, and I am confident that Aurora Commons is in great hands while I’m away. The way the Commons staff support each other and our community with compassion, authenticity, and grit is remarkable. In addition to our incredible staff, please join me in welcoming our Interim Executive Director, Laura Skelton, who will be with us until I return in early December. Laura has stepped in and already proven to be a fantastic fit and a skilled leader, we are lucky to have her on the team.
Thank you to all who have held Aurora Commons in your hearts and prayers this season, and for those who have been able to support us with your time, gifts in kind, and financial support, it has carried us through. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Gratefully,
Elizabeth Dahl Helendi