Dubuque, IA – Opening Doors has launched a $2.5 million capital campaign, “Building Hope, Opening Doors,” to expand its housing facilities and services for women and children experiencing homelessness. The campaign will fund critical renovations to existing shelters, expand transitional housing at Maria House, and establish new supportive programming.

“With homelessness on the rise, we must act now to ensure every woman and child who comes to us for help has the support they need,” said Carol Gephart, Executive Director of Opening Doors. “This campaign will allow us to serve more families, enhance our facilities, and create new opportunities for lasting stability.”

The “Building Hope, Opening Doors” campaign aims to:

• Renovate Teresa Shelter to improve capacity and accessibility.

• Expand Maria House to provide more long-term transitional housing units.

• Strengthen supportive services, including mental health counseling, employment training, and financial literacy programs.

The campaign is already off to a strong start, with $1.2 million secured through early leadership gifts, including a $500,000 challenge grant from the Thomas & Mary Johnson Foundation. Community members are encouraged to contribute to help meet the full goal by December 31, 2026.

A campaign kickoff event will be held on April 1, 2025 at the Roshek Building, where Opening Doors leaders and community partners will discuss the initiative and its impact.

For more information on how to support the campaign, please visit openingdoorsdbq.org/capitalcampaign or contact:

Media Contact:

Natalie Finley
Development & Marketing Director
563.582.7467
natalie@openingdoorsdbq.org