Duplin veterans nonprofit seeks help

This plea for help came to us at the StarNews.

I thought I'd pass it on to the local nonprofit community.

Si Cantwell

si.cantwell@starnewsonline.com

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The Sanctuary Project needs URGENT HELP!!!!!!

The Sanctuary Project is a Veterans and Community Information Outreach Center (VeCIOC) and Food Bank in Duplin County, located between Magnolia and Kenansville, and is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Sanctuary Project's VeCIOC is a coalition of over 40 county, state, and federal agencies who work together to address the needs of our veterans, National Guard and reservists, seniors and others in the community with: employment, education, benefits, suicide prevention, social services, food, clothing and more. There are approximately 8,000 veterans in Duplin County and The Sanctuary Project is the only organization in Duplin County that provides this service.

Their problem is that a bank is in the process of foreclosing on the property. They want $1.2 million dollars or they will foreclose and sell the property at auction.

The Governor's Focus Group on Returning Combat Veterans and Military Personnel met last week in Raleigh. The Sanctuary Project was the only non-profit organization present. During that meeting, a call was received from First Lady, Michelle Obama, in which she praised the work of these groups and personally thanked them.

The Sanctuary Project is explained in detail at www.TspWeb.us with Food Bank details and the full vision of ten buildings with a rehabilitation center for 900 persons whose initial cost is about $6 million (total $35 million) but is to be financially self- sufficient.

We are trying to get the message out to the citizens of Duplin County and surrounding communities about this problem. Your help would be greatly appreciated to help us get this message out. For more information, please call Kip Tomkin at (910) 284-9169.