Grand Opening of Decatur Family Refuge
October 18, 2011PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Karalee Misner, Public & Government Affairs Manager
Phone: 217-422-2200
Fax: 217-422-4576
Email: karalee.misner@decaturchamber.com
October 18, 2011
For Immediate Release
Grand Opening of Decatur Family Refuge
Decatur, IL -Homeless families will have shelter under one roof thanks to the grand opening of Decatur Family Refuge, Inc. The homeless shelter is celebrating the collaborative support it has necessitated to open its doors on Tuesday, October 18 at 543 North Water Street (former Good Samaritan Inn location) with a ribbon cutting ceremony performed by the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce (GDCC).
A true community effort has made the re-purposing of the former Good Samaritan Inn building possible. With work from area union trades including: plumbers, sheet metal workers, electricians and carpenters along with many volunteers and donations from area churches, the building is now fit to accommodate five homeless families.
With Decatur Family Refuge now open for operation, homeless families will not have to be split up to receive help. Before its opening, there was no homeless shelter in Decatur that accepted families with a father, a mother and father or with a male child 12 or older.
The shelter is dedicated to provide temporary housing for families only for up to 90 days. There is a case manager on staff to ensure non-duplication of services being provided by partnering agencies to assist the families in becoming self-sufficient.
The GDCC ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. and feature the Chamber's ceremonial scissors from the 1930s that have cut ribbons signifying many major business milestones in Decatur and Macon County.
Decatur Family Refuge is a silver level member of the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce.
The Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce (GDCC) was chartered on July 3, 1903, but traces its roots back to the 1887 formation of the Decatur Board of Trade. The GDCC is recognized as the second oldest Chamber of Commerce in the state of Illinois and will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2012. The Chamber's mission is to be a pro-business network providing service, political advocacy, and leadership to strengthen education, community image, and local businesses. The Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce is the Voice of Business promoting opportunity, growth and prosperity in local commerce.
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