Thursday is move-in day for homeless families receiving self-sufficiency support services at the newly renovated Arlington Life Shelter in Downtown.
The two-story, 12,000-square-foot building at 325 W. Division St. includes an expanded kitchen and dining room, age-appropriate children’s areas including a playground, a classroom, daytime common area, technology center to support training and employment searches and family bedrooms that allow parents and children to stay together.
“Before, families in a lot of cases had to be split up,” Interim Executive Director Jim Reeder said. “Being able to keep them together is really one of the huge benefits of the new facility.”
The mission of the Arlington Life Shelter, which has existed since 1987, promotes self-sufficiency by providing shelter, employment programs and transitional services for North Texans impacted by homelessness. Core service areas include basic food, shelter, comprehensive case management, employment services, education and children’s services.
In addition to the major renovation, the Arlington Life Shelter also repurposed space in the existing building to provide a number of areas to support the development and growth of the residents so that they may return to self-sufficiency.
The Arlington Life Shelter’s expansion was made possible through a $5.2 million capital campaign that began in 2017. Institutional supporters include the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, Amon Carter Foundation, Meadows Foundation, Ryan Foundation, Fort Worth Foundation, Hoblitzelle Foundation, Rees-Jones Foundation and The Mabee Foundation.
The community also supported the new shelter through contributions to Path of Kindness, the shelter's personalized brick paver campaign.
Support Youth and Families, Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, Downtown
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