The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full report, CLICK HERE.
Latter-day Saints also donate time and labor to help prepare new “navigation center”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is collaborating with the nonprofit LifeMoves to support the opening of a 240-bed facility for people experiencing homelessness in the San Francisco Bay area. The goal of this innovative $55 million navigation center in Redwood City, California, is to assist those in need to return to long-term stable housing.
Navigation centers provide a dignified place to stay for individuals experiencing homelessness while they receive all the services necessary to help them on their way back into long-term stable housing, employment and self-sufficiency.
An official ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the center was held on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
Aubrey Merriman, CEO of LifeMoves, said this new building will benefit people from all walks of life.
“Families, veterans, elderly, children — you know that you’re doing important work when you see children who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness,” Merriman said. “There are people that are one sort of speed bump away from a health issue, a loss of job, falling off a sobriety track. But for the grace of a higher power, that could be us, right?”
In coordination with a group of local congregations, the Church has provided a large grant to help furnish the new facility with bedding, pillows, towels, welcome mats, laundry baskets, alarm clocks, toiletries and other personal items. In addition, around 150 local Latter-day Saints stepped up to volunteer on two different weekends in March and April to organize these items and then set them up in each room.
In the days and weeks preceding the opening, Merriman worked alongside volunteers as they helped prepare the navigation center to welcome its first residents. He explained why Latter-day Saints and others were so eager to help.
To read the full report, CLICK HERE.
