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New Wyoming shelter helps families facing homelessness

The shelter includes 12 rooms for families to stay in.

WYOMING, Mich. — The new Wyoming Park Family Shelter will soon give families facing homelessness a place to call home.

The shelter, which is inside the Wyoming Park United Methodist Church
was created in collaboration with the church, Family Promise and Wolverine Building Group. 

Inside are 12 transitional rooms that will give families a chance to start a new life. 

"The goal wasn't, you know, like some projects. The goal was just to make money, right? And this was not the goal for this project. It was to do something good, fulfilling promise, " says Wolverine Building Group project manager Kaylee Dillard. 

“Our mission is to end homelessness one family at a time,” says Family Promise CEO Tenisa Frye. "We have families that will come up to us and say, you know, we're sleeping in our car, can you just give us a pillow or a blanket, and seeing that from day to day, you can’t shake that like that goes home with you.”

She adds that her organization has identified 43 families that need a home.

A number that Wyoming mayor Kent Vanderwood says a project like this can help decrease. 

“The homeless challenge in Kent County is enormous,” said Vanderwood. “So, if we can be part of the solution, and I help these families in a temporary way... we feel good about that.”

Pastor Kim DeLong says this project also shows how churches can use their teachings to create concrete change.

"I think that's what being a disciple of Jesus is all about. Is that when he didn't tell us to build buildings, and together only on Sunday morning, he said, go out and feed the poor, clothe the, you know, poor. Heal the sick, that’s what the in churches about,” said DeLong.

The shelter is a transitional shelter and people will be able to receive resources to find a permanent home.

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