Shalom Center Move to be Delayed

Kenosha---It'll be one more year of the "INNS" program, the network of churches that take turns housing the homeless under the auspices of the Shalom Center.

Center Executive Director Lynn Biese-Carroll tells WGTD News that funding to renovate a newly-purchased building on 39th Ave. won't be in place in time to have the larger facility ready for the onset of the next cold-weather season. 

Once renovated, the new building will be big enough to eliminate the need for INNS, which takes in the overflow from the Shalom Center's permanent homeless shelter that's located in the uptown area.

The original plan called for a full-blown capital campaign to fund the estimated $1.8 million in renovations. But the Center's Board of Directors decided to first pursue some federal loans and grants, and submit applications to a few large foundations. 

The board didn't want to tap the same sources of revenue that it relies on for operational expenses. "What we use our local donations for is operations," Biese-Carroll said. "We don't want to take away from that to put into capital improvements." 

Using existing funds, the Shalom Center has already hired an architect and over the next few months will do some preliminary reconstruction work, she said. 

The goal is to have the new building ready by next spring. 

In addition to providing shelter, the place will be large enough for job training, life-skills classes, after school tutoring, case management, a large commercial kitchen and a dining area.  

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