Wheaton official to lead homeless shelter

When it was decided that the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton needed a full-time executive director, there wasn't a need to draft anyone for the job.

Tom Mouhelis enlisted.

The Wheaton city councilman has been the shelter's executive director for more than a week.

Even before he eagerly accepted the position, Mouhelis had been an advocate for the shelter and served on its advisory board.

Mouhelis says he believes in the shelter's mission to get homeless veterans back on their feet, contributing to society and progressing with their lives.

"But for a few fortunate turn of events, I could've been in the same situation many of these guys are in," Mouhelis said. "This is my dream job."

Bob Adams, a co-founder of the shelter, said Mouhelis was the natural choice because he is a veteran himself and understands what homeless veterans are dealing with.

In his new role, Mouhelis will work as a fundraiser, lobbyist and general advocate for the shelter.

His role includes a spectrum of activities that range from communicating with elected officials at all levels of government to facilitating small acts of kindness, like the recent donation of $300 worth of trash pick-up stickers to the shelter.

One of his biggest tasks in the next year will be helping to oversee the expansion of the facility. The shelter is at full capacity, despite opening in early 2007.

Ideally, the shelter would like to grow large enough to assist up to 25 veterans at once. The little yellow home where the shelter operates can only accommodate a maximum of five veterans.

For now, officials are targeting an expansion that would allow the shelter to help as many as 15 homeless veterans at a time.

To help the expansion effort, DuPage County already has given the shelter $450,000 in federal grant money that the county controls.

The shelter will receive the grant only if it can raise another $550,000 on its own. It's raised about $190,000 so far. Staff is targeting 2009 for the expansion.

Adams said Mouhelis will play a key role in future of the shelter.

"Tom is just a regular guy who gets it," Adams said. "Titles don't impress him. He doesn't stand on formality. He doesn't have a kind of ego that demands attention. But he's a good man, and the veterans at the shelter are already responding to him."