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New ministry is in development at Lockport CARES

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Thu, Oct 5th 2017 05:05 pm
In November 2009, Lockport CARES opened its doors to welcome homeless people at 192 Genesee St. Over the past eight years, it has housed more than 1,800 guests, offering hospitality and guidance to people in crisis.
The campus expanded in 2012 with the purchase of the house next door, at 188 Genesee St., which was renovated by Habitat for Humanity and named Kahler House, in gratitude to God and in loving memory of the late Norman and Frances Kahler. For a year and a half, it was the site of a transitional living program for men, in which an extended stay for homeless men who were seeking to find stable employment and permanent housing in the community was offered. In running this program, Lockport CARES discovered that, for effective life change, it needed a partner ministry to go beyond hospitality.
Lockport CARES has announced it found that partner ministry in Lockport Care Net Pregnancy Center. Together, the ministries will focus on a day program for women to provide education and training in parenting and life skills.
Before that happens, however, there are some building renovations that will take place. The Kahler House is now being renovated to make it the new site of the homeless shelter. These renovations will make the house handicapped-accessible, along with partitioning the upstairs sleeping areas into separate male and female sides. This will provide a more secure environment for guests and volunteers.
The current homeless shelter at 192 Genesee will undergo minor repairs and serve as the site for daytime educational programs. At some point in the future, Lockport CARES anticipates offering residential opportunities for women and children there, as well.

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