Terry Baxter and Ken DeYoung co-founded GoServ Global, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 2011. Their intention – to provide immediate relief after natural disasters with both financial and hands-on support. Internationally, GoServ Global responds to emergency situations and then identifies opportunities to create lasting solutions for long-term humanitarian needs.
One of the first acts of help, hope, and humanity of this Eagle Grove-based organization came after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti in 2010. It destroyed homes, businesses, and facilities. That’s when they saw the opportunity to give the Haitians some peace-of-mind back by replacing their homes with ones that could withstand such natural disasters as earthquakes, termites, fire, and moisture. In cooperation with Sukup Manufacturing Company, they built the Safe T Homes®, a highly modified grain bin that can be constructed in only six hours from start to finish. Six years after the original Safe T Homes® were built, they not only survived Hurricane Matthew with minimal damage, but they provided shelter for up to as many as 60 people per home. Since that time, more than 300 Safe T Homes® have been built in Haiti, as well as homes in Uganda for refugee children fleeing from South Sudan, Peru and Kenya.
But, of course, the Safe T Homes® cannot be built for free. GoServ Global depends on the generous contributions of many individuals, organizations, and more. One church right here in Eagle Grove, Samuel Lutheran Church, is one of these contributors and is proud to have recently donated $25,000 with money that came from parishioner donations and church investments.
“People donated because this has such a huge impact on the people in Haiti,” said Paul Tokheim of Samuel Lutheran Church. “We decided to donate because we’ve done it before, and because there were matching funds available.”
“I think it’s significant that this donation came in during our Safe T Home® match program,” said Paul van Gorkum, executive director of GoServ Global. “Their $25,000 gift became $50,000.”
This match was made possible from a generous donor who pledged to match up to $56,000 in other donations.
GoServ is excited to announce that they surpassed their goal of $140,000 which provides the money needed to purchase and ship 20 Safe T Homes® by raising a grand total of $169,820.95!
The cost of the Safe T Homes® broken down is $5,700 for the actual Safe T Homes®, $1,000 to ship it overseas, and $300 to build a cement foundation to place the home on for a grand total cost of $7,000 per completed home.
“We are so thankful for everyone who gave including so many individuals as well as church members,” van Gorkum said.
“We have done this before and will continue to do this along with additional projects in the future,” added Tokheim. “We’re helping to spread Christianity and goodness to the very needy people and their families of Haiti.”
In addition to housing, the Safe T Homes® are also used as classrooms, medical clinics, and orphanages.
GoServ Global also wants to let you know about another Safe T Home® Challenge, be you a Hawkeye fan, a Cyclone fan, or a neutral party. They invite you to be part of the 2020 Virtual Game Day Build which started Sept. 21 and will last for four weeks!
In 2018, they held a “Game Day Build” and built a hurricane-proof Sukup Safe T Home® at Kinnick Stadium for the annual Cy-Hawk football game. They did the same at Jack Trice Stadium in 2019. Because there will be no Cy-Hawk game this fall, they are asking you to consider continuing the rivalry for a good cause and putting your funds instead towards a Sukup Safe T Home®.
With your gift, you can designate whether you are a fan of the Cyclones or Hawkeyes. At the end, they will announce which fan base raised the most funds towards Safe T Homes. You can learn more at GoServGlobal.org/GameDayBuild
