Forrest Gilmore. Photo by Rodney Margison
by RODNEY MARGISON
Nearly 21 years ago, Shalom Community Center opened in the basement of First United Methodist Church to provide services to those experiencing homelessness in Bloomington. The organization offered coffee, newspapers, a single telephone, and a daytime shelter. Since then, Shalom has grown into one of the largest social service agencies in south-central Indiana, with 45 employees and six major programs serving more than 700 people each year. It now also has a new name Beacon.
“A name tells a story,” Executive Director Forrest Gilmore explains, and Beacon is no different. “Shalom Community Center tells the story of one of our life-saving programs,” he says. “Beacon tells the story of all we offer.”