Middle Way House climbs Pepsi Refresh Project rankings

Middle Way House is rising quickly through the Pepsi Refresh Project’s group of contenders for a quarter-of-a-million-dollar grant, according to a press release Tuesday.

The project’s online voting competition determines winners of grants to fund great ideas. As of Wednesday morning, Middle Way House was in position 30 of more than 300 ideas competing in the $250,000 award category, according to the Pepsi Refresh Project website.

If Middle Way House garners enough support to rise into one of the top two idea spots, the shelter will receive $250,000 to cover some of its capital expenses.
The shelter is looking to reduce costs for a newly installed security system, furnish its emergency shelter and improve its rooftop green space.

“The rooftop gardens provide opportunities for our residents to grow, and if we can do that in a way that also reduces costs and our ecological footprint, so much the better,” said Toby Strout, executive director of Middle Way House, in a press release.

Middle Way House was established in 1971 and has been helping sexual assault and domestic abuse survivors from Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan and Owen counties. The shelter provides its clients with an emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, legal advocacy services, transitional housing, childcare and youth empowerment programs.

Strout also said in a press release that the grant would greatly improve the shelter’s ability to respond to increased demand for its services, as well as help the shelter meet its operational expenses.

Voting is available at refresheverything.com until Jan. 1. Winners of Pepsi Refresh Project awards will be announced Jan. 1.

— Amanda Jacobson