"It's a dream come true:" Kenosha homeless shelter gets ready to open new location
KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Shalom Center on 62nd Street will be moving to a new location on 4314 39th Avenue in the next few days.
"It's a dream come true," said Karen Hansen Johnson, Shalom Center Board of Directors.
The center has been helping the homeless for more than 30 years in Kenosha in an outdated former school building and in church basements. They offer a variety of programs including the INNS or night shelter, soup kitchen and emergency family shelter.
“We are going from a 20th century building to a 21st century building that has many of the advancements make the assistance of the homeless more effective," said Wilson Shierk, Board of Directors.
For those who stay in their shelter, there is close to a 90 percent success rate of getting them back on their feet within 90 days.
But there is limited space in their current location. It can only house around 30 people.
With the new shelter location, it can hold up to 80 people and those who sleep in church basements (INNS program).
“With having them with us we can have a better success rate of getting them back on their feet and on their own so they can be successful in the community," said Hansen Johnson.
The building will be dedicated to the founder, Greta D. Hansen.
"Knowing that she is being admired in this way means a lot to our family," said Karen Hansen Johnson, Greta's daughter.
On Thursday, there will be an open house from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. Organizers hope to have the shelter open by September 11th. The Food Pantry will remain at its current location at 8043 Sheridan Road.