Pope Francis Center receives $7 million donation for new housing project
DETROIT - The Pope Francis Center in Detroit is getting a multi-million dollar donation that brings the homeless shelter closer to its $22 million goal for its new housing project.
The center, which houses close to 200 people every day, caters to food, hygiene, housing, medical, and legal needs for those that struggle with stable living conditions.
A $7 million donation from a California-based foundation was announced last night.
The center's new housing complex it wants to build will go toward ending chronic homelessness in Detroit.
The center, which houses close to 200 people every day, caters to food, hygiene, housing, medical, and legal needs for those that struggle with stable living conditions.
"We are truly humbled by the incredible generosity of the Julia Burke Foundation," said Fr. Tim McCabe SJ, executive director, Pope Francis Center. "Their $7 million contribution shows there is strong support for our efforts to bring an end to chronic homelessness in Detroit."
The Pope Francis Center has raised $15 million so far. Once the center raises enough money, it'll start construction on a 40-unit bridge housing facility in Detroit. The facility's construction is central to McCabe's plan of ending homelessness in Detroit by 2030.
Once completed, the center will offer an array of services, including assistance with mental illness, addiction, and job preparation - all factors that contribute to chronic homelessness. The center will also help residents secure key documents needed to secure more stable long-term housing.
"The Julia Burke Foundation invests in opportunities that enable people to lead a better life," said Jerry Burke, co-founder of the Julia Burke Foundation. "The more we learned about the Pope Francis Center and its commitment to serving Detroit’s poor, we knew we wanted to be a part of this transformational project that will improve the lives of so many."
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In addition to the 40 studio apartments that will be constructed, the facility will be equipped with a cafeteria, a gymnasium, a library, classrooms, and a health clinic. "This space will provide individuals with a safe space to begin building trusting relationships and start imagining something different for themselves."
Poverty advocates have often argued that before cities and institutions can help their citizens get connected to services, they need to build trust with their clients. The cities of Detroit and Ferndale are starting to deploy a similar project at its 8 Mile and Woodward intersection.