Shelter for Homeless Mothers, Children Opens
HIGHLAND PARK — Residents have begun moving into a new facility for homeless mothers and their children, the first such shelter in the area.
Casa de Alegria, which opened this month, can accommodate eight families, or up to 29 people. The families can stay for as long as 24 months and pay reduced rent.
A 1906 Craftsman-style home on Avenue 52 was restored to create a nine-bedroom home with private bathrooms, community rooms and play areas.
The program, for single women with children under 10, is designed to help homeless families live independently.
“We saw a growing need in this population,” said Karen Mitchell, executive director of Beacon Housing, a nonprofit affordable-housing company that runs the center. “Our focus is getting women eventually to home ownership.”
A task force of local churches, schools and social services agencies will provide programs that including mentoring, life skills workshops and career counseling.
The $637,000 project was funded by Beacon Housing, the Samuelson Family Charitable Foundation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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