LEWISTON – According to the National Law Centre on Homelessness, approximately 3.5 million people a year are likely to be homeless, with children consisting of more than a third of the numbers.

Plus, homelessness has been on the rise over the past several decades, with researchers from the Fannie Mae Foundation and the National Coalition for the Homeless finding the increased need for shelter beds ranging anywhere from double to triple the amounts found in previous years.

Hope Haven Gospel Mission’s 24 beds used to shelter the homeless residents of the Lewiston region have shown to follow the statistical trend, with demand exceeding the resources available. In 2005, 155 people (50 men, 38 women, 67 children and 26 families) were turned away because of lack of space.

“Although we were able to house more than 260 people during 2005 and serve almost 24,000 meals, the need for our services far exceeds the number of beds available,” said Dr. Paul McLaughlin of the Hope Haven Gospel Mission. “To meet these requests for assistance, we want to build a new facility on the Cedar Street side.

“To do this however, is no simple task. We need $20,000 for architect and professional fees, prayerfully, we will soon be able to have a structural presentation on our Web site, with a scale showing where we are financially in the Capital Campaign’.”

In order to meet the needs of the growing homeless community, Bricks4hope.com was put up for business owners who wish to advertise their businesses – the pixel ads they purchase would direct more traffic to their sites, and at the same time contribute to the attainment of the shelter’s goal.

Pixel advertising, a relatively new concept in the Internet marketing domain, was the brainchild of a British student named Alex Tew. In late 2005, he created a Web site with an index page that featured a 1,000 x 1,000 pixel grid. To pay his way through college, he sold image-based links at $1 per pixel.

Bricks4hope’s pixels cost less, are good for five years, and are purchesed to serve the poor of the Lewiston-Auburn area.

Hope Haven Gospel Mission, a Christian nonprofit ministry, was founded in 1983 to provide local area residents with food and shelter in emergency, transitory or temporary situations. Fundamental in make-up but nondenominational to those served, it is governed by a board of directors who are faithful members of local area local churches.

Those who would like to assist with Hope Haven’s fundraising campaign or to get more information, contact David M. Peterson at 1-207-783-6086, or send an e-mail to [email protected].