Mar 30, 2023

Salina Rescue Mission to host open house April 15, unveil renovations

Posted Mar 30, 2023 4:52 PM
<b>The Salina Rescue Mission.</b> Salina Post file photo
The Salina Rescue Mission. Salina Post file photo

By NATE KING
Salina Post

The recent renovations to The Salina Rescue Mission's third floor will be showcased to the public during an event on April 15. 

The come and go event will be held at the Salina Rescue Mission, 1716 Summers Road, and will be from 9-11 a.m. 

Chad Young, executive director for the Salina Rescue Mission, said in 1998, when the mission moved into its current building from its previous location at Bishop Street and N. 12th Street, the organization's leadership team never thought they would use the entire building.

Twenty-five years later, the mission needs more beds for the ever-growing population of people who are without homes. 

"We had existed in a much smaller space for so long, I think we, we probably didn't fully understand what the future growth would be," Young said. 

READ: Salina Rescue Mission: People Without homes find community

Aside from the renovations made in 1998 to the first two floors of the building, Young said the only other types of "renovations" that had been made prior to 2016 were a few changed windows and placing additional insulation. 

"So, fast forward to 2016 when Stephen Kmetz was getting ready to retire. We did some looking around the building and said, 'Okay, what do we need to do for the future of the organization?' And so we identified several areas of need, which included expanding our bedding capacity," Young said.  

In 2017 the mission only had 67 beds and an influx of people walking through their doors in search of housing and community. 

"We were already at that point where we were having more guys than beds and knew we needed more bed space," Young said. "The only area that we had not fully renovated yet was on the third floor. We then decided to fully renovate the third floor. Now with this project complete, we have 96 beds."

The project, included bringing the third floor up to current fire and building code, replacing the building's outdated security system and the creation of a computer room for those staying at the mission.

" It was important for us to have ample security cameras throughout the building, and the other side of that was having a computer room where our people that we're working with can apply for jobs online, they can write their resumes, and connect with family members via email," Young said.

Prior to the completion of the new computer lab, anyone staying at the mission would have to walk or ride the bus to the public library or go to the Kansas Works employment center. 

"The renovations we have made help remove barriers, because anything that hinders a person from being able to accomplish their goal slows the whole process down, it weighs on you mentally, emotionally, you know, to think ', my gosh, I gotta go do this, this is gonna take all day just to access a computer,'" Young said.

Young thanked the CityGo bus system for encouraging interconnectedness among Salinans, but voiced concern with the time it takes to wait on a bus or in case a bus is missed.

"If you miss a bus, you're gonna be waiting for a while to get back over to where you need to get," Young said. "And so not having to take a half a day to go fill out an application online, is really going to be of benefit to not only to the guys we serve, but also to the employers who are looking for people."

Young said many in the Salina community have contributed to the building renovations

"To everyone who has helped us reach this goal, thank you. We have been so blessed with many partnerships and donors," Young said. " A special thanks to The Earl Bane Foundation, Salina Regional Community Health Investment Program, Sunderland Foundation, JE and LE Mabee Foundation, Don and Florence McCune Foundation, Mildred and Rolland Middlekauf Foundation and the Greater Salina Community Foundation."

If you are unable to make it to the open house, Young said there are still other ways you can show your support for the rescue mission. 

"The week following the open house we will be having a plant sale fundraiser at Stutzman’s on Cloud Street and Ninth Street," Young said. "For the week of April 16-22, they will donate 20% of all sales to the mission. We would really appreciate your support."