GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — For the past eight days, a man has been sitting on the roof of a building in Grand Rapids as part of an effort to raise over $800,000 to keep a nonprofit up and running.

Exodus Place, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit that seeks to help men transition out of homelessness, is pledging to raise $836,000 to help pay off its building’s mortgage. 

At the center of the fundraising campaign is Facilities Manager Chip Kroblan, who pledged to stay on the roof of the Exodus Place building until the goal was met. It’s called the Roof Sit 2024.

“It hasn’t been too bad the weather has been cooperating, but I would rather have it snow than rain so last night was kind of an adventure,” Kroblan told News 8.

Since Nov. 6, Kroblan has been camping out on the roof, sleeping in a tent and using a bucket to transport his food up and down a ladder to the roof. He said its something you can’t really prepare for.

“You just got to dive into it, its a little mental that you got to prepare yourself but besides that, you just dive right into it,” Kroblan said.

It’s a mission and a goal that is close to home for him.  

“It’s close to my heart because if I can help somebody, that makes me happy. As long as I can mentor somebody or help them along in life that’s where God put me,” he said.

Kroblan came to Exodus Place originally as a member, utilizing its services to turn his life around. Now in his full-time position, he’s helping keep the building up and running for every man that comes through the doors.

“You see everybody out on the street and you don’t really pay attention to them, but it is a hardship for them,” Kroblan said.

Eight days and $20,000 later, Kroblan said he knows he still has a long way to go and he isn’t stopping until Exodus Place reaches it’s $836,000 goal.

“We might get some snow, but that does not deter me from reaching our goal,” he said.  

Mateah Wyant is the operations manager at the organization. She said this money will help keep them in business so they can continue to provide critical resources for these men. 

“We have about 20 staff members that would be out of a job. We have 135 men that would be out back on the streets in Kent County as well as 40 men on our waiting list who are waiting to get into the program so there would be about 200 people in the community that we would no longer be able to serve,” she said.  

To donate or learn more information, visit the Exodus Place website.