LEWES, Del. - What was previously known as Faith United Methodist Church on Route 9 was bought with a nearly $500,000 donation and was supposed to be turned into a homeless shelter. After noticing the property is now up for sale, with no shelter put in place, the donor wants her money back.
The property at 32490 Lewes-Georgetown Hwy. was, at one point, purchased by the Immanuel Shelter with the intentions of establishing the next shelter for the homeless. However, the nonprofit, now named The Lighthouse for Broken Wings, has decided to sell the property and establish a shelter elsewhere in the area.
Rhona Knox Prescott, who has volunteered with the homeless since 2009, said she made a donation to the Immanuel Shelter that was intended for the development of a shelter at this particular location on Route 9.
"I'm retired, my kids are grown. They're pretty well taken care of. I've got some money in the bank because I've been saving," said Prescott.
Prescott was not satisfied with her donation of $475,000 going towards the purchase of this property, just for it to be sold again. Yet, other neighbors of the area weren't as accepting of the shelter going on Route 9, which led to the nonprofit's decision to move the project.
"The neighbors didn't want the homeless near them," Prescott said.
The legal battle on the Belltown property dates back to 2018. This was when the nonprofit transferred all of its holdings and ownership of the property to The Lighthouse for Broken Wings. A Sussex County Board of Adjustment decision granted a special use exception that allowed for a homeless shelter to be built. That was reversed by superior court and appeals to the Delaware Supreme Court were not successful.
"As you know, Sussex County makes it very difficult for people to get approvals, variances for homeless shelters and that's one of the reasons this problem is occurring," The Lighthouse for Broken Wings' Chair Jennifer Hill said made the situation more difficult.
The nonprofit told CoastTV News that there are plans for the nonprofit to build a shelter in the area still, with amenities including job training and educational opportunities as well. Donations made to the organization will be used towards this future shelter, according to Hill.
"We have to try to make the best of what we have and we still of course have the shelter. We have the home where we have disabled people and we'll continue to do this work when we buy new property," said Hill.
Prescott's goal is to have her money returned so that she may use it as she deems necessary to help the homeless, even though the nonprofit said they have met their requirements for the use of her donation based on a previous agreement.
Prescott's goal is to have her money returned so that she may use it as she deems necessary to help the homeless, even though the nonprofit said it has met their requirements for the use of her donation based on a previous agreement.
"They needed help here. I found out who could help, so I gave my money there, and it just didn't pan out," Prescott said, "and they're still needing help."
For the property on Lewes-Georgetown Highway, Hill said it is for sale and will announce the buyer in the coming weeks as the deal is finalized.
