CLEVELAND — Throughout Cleveland nearly 3,000 students don't have a stable place to call home. An estimated 3,000 more Cleveland families may soon face eviction as the moratorium ends.
“We are very concerned about the increase in poverty for families, especially women with children,” said Linda Uveges, CEO of City Mission.
Local groups like Laura’s Home are doing all they can.
“We are aware that the eviction moratorium has ended and we are already seeing increased calls for help and our facility is now at capacity,” Uveges said. “We said we've got to do something.”
In 2020 alone, the women’s crisis center on Puritas Avenue provided refuge to 695 women and children, served 79,847 hot meals and found housing for 79 women and families.
Now, the center needs more space.
“We've been planning this for years, probably for the last five years,” Uveges said.
Laura's Home is now breaking ground in a 10,000-square-foot addition. The space including lockers, showers and a multipurpose room to help with overflow in extreme weather conditions. The current building is also getting a facelift.
“Now we'll be able to centralize our family ministry center and optimize and be more effective in serving our children here. And then that also opens up space for adult classrooms,” Uveges explained. “Our goal is that when they leave the city mission, that they have achieved self-sufficiency through their program and their time here at the city mission.”
Construction is expected to finish in late 2022. Current operations and services will continue during that time.
