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Mission welcomes visitors to future women’s shelter

STEUBENVILLE — Urban Mission Ministries’ ribbon cutting at the former War Memorial Building at 423 North St. comes at an appropriate, meaningful time of year.

The Rev. Ashley Steele, the mission’s executive director, and staff welcomed a small gathering Friday for the ceremonial gesture at what will serve as a safe haven for homeless women and children in need of shelter, a supportive network and programming.

“We wanted to do this at this time of year, because we think it’s so meaningful as we approach Advent. If you think about it, Advent is all about preparing for Christ, not only our own hearts, but just this world in general,” Steele said.

“We read the stories of the gospels, and Jesus was a baby homeless with his parents as he was making his way. They were trying to find a place to stay, and so pregnant Mary was venturing out just like many of the women we will serve here, trying to find a place to feel safe and loved,” Steele said.

“We just thought it was very meaningful to do a ribbon cutting now as we approach Advent because we are preparing this place for those who are vulnerable, for those who are seeking a home and for those are in need, and what better testimony or witness of our faith than to be able to live that out by offering a place for folks to come and build on that symbolism,” she said.

Steele said the mission started to show a real interest in acquiring the vacant building three years ago. She said “the ball got rolling” after a consider-the-possibilities conversation she had with Beth Rupert-Warren, who was among those attending the ribbon cutting and tour of work completed.

“This has been a work in the making for some time,” Steele said. “In July of 2015 we had started to really show interest and talk with commissioners about using this building in a number of different capacities, and here we are, at the end of 2018 being able to use it for all the different purposes we intended.”

The mission purchased the building from the Jefferson County commissioners for a bid of $10,303.70, the amount being a symbolic one in paying homage to Luke, chapter 10, verses 30 through 37 and the story of the Good Samaritan. The building was constructed in the 1930s and served as a facility to assist veterans. It is located across the street from the Urban Mission church and just a block away from the Urban Mission Warehouse at 311 N. Sixth St.

Prior to the ribbon-cutting and tour, Steele expressed gratitude. “One of them is the Mary Jane Brooks Foundation, which has given to this facility to renovate it and to get it to the state where it is today; PNC Bank has also contributed for some of our renovations; we have a grant from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, which is allowing us to do some of the safety updates here; and also we’ve received support from the community as a whole,” Steele said.

She also singled out Joe McGurn, president of the mission’s board of directors; city representatives on hand, including Mayor Jerry Barilla; and many staff members and volunteers who have worked the past month to help with improvements.

“A lot of the comments we have received is that there were dances in the other section, and we thought it might be fun one of these days to bring that back in one way or another,” she said of its history. It also once was a site for deployment of soldiers or welcoming them back.

“This building has served the community for many years,” Steele said. “We saw the need to open it up as not only a community gathering place, but as a shelter for women, for children, for pregnant women as well, and then also a place where they can come and receive services.”

Steele offered some statistics.

“Although all of our shelters have served close to about 400 people this year alone, specifically for females, we’ve served 80 single females this year, 46 females with children and 100 children,” she said. “Think about those numbers — that’s pretty high for this area.”

Steele said the mission wants to use the former War Memorial Building “as soon as possible, as soon as the city gives us the go-ahead, we will make it happen.”

The main floor is a combination of office space, an educational room for a number of trainings and the former gymnasium where Christmas distributions will be held. Downstairs will function as the Clothes Closet offering the needy free access to clothing and other items. The upper floor is the shelter itself.

Those touring the building were invited to take with them a battery-operated candle, placing them in a vacant window sill. “Put that there and turn on the light, because we are turning on the light for folks in our community to be able to know this is a beacon of light and hope,” Steele instructed. “You also will note some things are not complete, so as you look around, we love ideas, we love volunteers, and we love financial donations.”

For information or to donate, call the mission at (740) 282-8010.

(Kiaski can be contacted at jkiaski@heraldstaronline.com.)

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