01/15/2026
UPDATE: A donor was inspired by this post and has offered a matching gift of $1000!
Donate January 15-16 and your gift will have double the impact.
DONATE NOW: https://p2p.onecause.com/austinsplace
Today we celebrate an anniversary!
From the first time the doors were open in January 2008, Austin's Place was such a special place, and after 13 incredible seasons of providing winter overnight shelter for women in the basement of a church, it was time for more. Austin's Place partnered with C-U at Home to merge our little basement shelter into something bigger and better. Our plan was to close for the season in April 2020 and reopen in Fall of 2020 under the C-U at Home roof with a beautifully remodeled and safe space for women. But as they say, all the best laid plans....Enter: COVID. We could not close a shelter in a pandemic and the scramble became real: We accelerated our remodel on the space available at C-U at Home's building at 70 E. Washington and until it was ready, we housed women in hotel rooms to avoid the spread of the virus and keep our guests safe.
Five years ago today, as we began coming out of the dark days of COVID, the space for the women at C-U at Home was fully renovated and ready to receive overnight guests. On Friday, January 15, 2021, women moved into this new space and Austin’s Place became a year-round overnight shelter. After thirteen incredible seasons as an all-volunteer, winter shelter, Austin’s Place would expand services to 365 days of overnight shelter. Plus, we had showers, a kitchenette and much-needed laundry facilities.
This new version of Austin’s Place was our first “home” environment with careful consideration given to the color scheme and décor choices. The space was completed with a beautiful memorial to Austin Cloyd, done in collaboration with her mom, Renee Cloyd, and the stories she told about Austin.
We pivoted a year later and sold 70 E. Washington to Champaign Township for them to begin the STRIDES shelter, and we moved Austin's Place into a home that housed 8 women...and not just overnight. 8 women, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (We also did the same for men!). A new program was born, one that we pioneered, for "mid-barrier" clients where our clients have a home for up to 18 months. While living with us, clients learn how to budget, how to apply for jobs, how to find medical care -- all the life nuances that will make our clients successful when they transition into their own home.
Today, five years later, we are on the brink of beginning another new and exciting chapter in the Austin’s Place’s story! In March of this year, women will move into the newly renovated space at C-U at Home’s new building on South Mattis Avenue in Champaign. This building will house men and women (secure and separate) and increase our capacity by 40%! All our clients can stay for up to 18 months, in their space, 24/7/365. Our small but mighty shelter is becoming a little less small and a lot more mighty!
