MUSKEGON, Mich. — The Muskegon Rescue Mission has big plans for 2022, including transforming 2-acre of vacant property it recently obtained from the City of Muskegon.
The mission is planning to build a 16,000 square foot multi-purpose facility that will include a daycare and preschool along with a community resource center, teaching kitchen, and warming and cooling center.
The property on 7th Street is just north of the Muskegon Rescue Mission Men's Shelter.
"The designs are done and the bids are all in and finished," said Muskegon Rescue Mission Executive Director Dan Skoglund.
Tuesday, the mission launched the public portion of its "Rise Up Together" campaign during its annual Fill the Bowl luncheon. The new multi-purpose facility is expected to cost around $5 million to build.
"And we've already raised $3.3M in the past four months, so the community is really supporting this," Skoglund said.
A large portion of the building will be dedicated to offering affordable child care to those the mission serves and other community members. Skoglund says that's a big need in Muskegon. For some parents, the cost of daycare and preschool could be free.
"We have many people we work with who are actually paying more for daycare than they do for their rent," he said.
One wing of the new building will allow around 20 community agencies like the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Muskegon County Veteran's Affairs, Michigan State University Extension and Michigan Works a place to offer access to services.
If the mission is able to break ground in April, the new multi-purpose facility could open before the end of this year.
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