Fellowship Missions Requests Variance for Homeless Shelter
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The board will review the variance request from Fellowship Missions at its April 22 meeting at 7 p.m. at city hall.
Fellowship Missions is requesting a variance to allow a homeless shelter at 1520 E. Winona Ave., which is zoned commercial.
Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions director, said the group has been looking at purchasing the Winona Avenue property for a shelter since the end of February.
The property is the Ken Anderson Films building that is for sale and is between the Kosciusko Community YMCA and Sparkman Auto Sales.
Lane said funds need to be raised to remodel the Winona Avenue property.
Fellowship Missions previously considered the former Tri-Namic building on South Buffalo Street for a shelter to house men, women and children.
However, the cost to remodel the building was more that the organization thought it would be, Lane said.
The organization also had considered the former Brennan Building on Market Street and property south of Warsaw Community Church at one time for a shelter.
“I’ve toured several facilities in town for a shelter, but the remodel costs are too high,” Lane said.
“The site we are considering looks like a solid location with good accessibility for our residents to access us and other agencies,” Lane said.
A shelter that houses men has been located for the past three years at 425 S. Buffalo St., and a shelter that houses women and children has been at 337 N. Buffalo St. for the past 2-1/2 years.
“The idea would be to combine all the shelters under one roof and eliminate the current two seperate shelters,” Lane said.
Lane said the men and women and children will have sererate living quarters if the shelter is approved and that security is a main goal.
“We have been talking to other shelters to gain wisdom on making sure the shelter is safe,” Lane said.
Lane said in 2012 there were 156 adults and 52 children under age 14 who stayed at the men’s shelter.
In 2011, there were 142 adults and 26 children under age 14 who stayed at the shelters.
Fellowship Missions started a self sufficiency program in 2012 for its residents.
There have been 58 percent of residents who have stayed at the shelters who have completed the program and now have places to work and live on their own, Lane said.
Lane said Fellowship Missions continues to need financial resources to continue its program because the organization does not accept federal or state dollars.
Current items needed for the shelter are paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels and hygiene products.
The items can be dropped off at the men’s shelter at 425 S. Buffalo St. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about Fellowship Missions call 574-268-9555 or visit fellowshipmissions.net[[In-content Ad]]
The board will review the variance request from Fellowship Missions at its April 22 meeting at 7 p.m. at city hall.
Fellowship Missions is requesting a variance to allow a homeless shelter at 1520 E. Winona Ave., which is zoned commercial.
Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions director, said the group has been looking at purchasing the Winona Avenue property for a shelter since the end of February.
The property is the Ken Anderson Films building that is for sale and is between the Kosciusko Community YMCA and Sparkman Auto Sales.
Lane said funds need to be raised to remodel the Winona Avenue property.
Fellowship Missions previously considered the former Tri-Namic building on South Buffalo Street for a shelter to house men, women and children.
However, the cost to remodel the building was more that the organization thought it would be, Lane said.
The organization also had considered the former Brennan Building on Market Street and property south of Warsaw Community Church at one time for a shelter.
“I’ve toured several facilities in town for a shelter, but the remodel costs are too high,” Lane said.
“The site we are considering looks like a solid location with good accessibility for our residents to access us and other agencies,” Lane said.
A shelter that houses men has been located for the past three years at 425 S. Buffalo St., and a shelter that houses women and children has been at 337 N. Buffalo St. for the past 2-1/2 years.
“The idea would be to combine all the shelters under one roof and eliminate the current two seperate shelters,” Lane said.
Lane said the men and women and children will have sererate living quarters if the shelter is approved and that security is a main goal.
“We have been talking to other shelters to gain wisdom on making sure the shelter is safe,” Lane said.
Lane said in 2012 there were 156 adults and 52 children under age 14 who stayed at the men’s shelter.
In 2011, there were 142 adults and 26 children under age 14 who stayed at the shelters.
Fellowship Missions started a self sufficiency program in 2012 for its residents.
There have been 58 percent of residents who have stayed at the shelters who have completed the program and now have places to work and live on their own, Lane said.
Lane said Fellowship Missions continues to need financial resources to continue its program because the organization does not accept federal or state dollars.
Current items needed for the shelter are paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels and hygiene products.
The items can be dropped off at the men’s shelter at 425 S. Buffalo St. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about Fellowship Missions call 574-268-9555 or visit fellowshipmissions.net[[In-content Ad]]
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