Arlington Life Shelter Expanding Next Year
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ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) – A short-term shelter is making a long-term investment in helping the homeless in the Arlington area.
The Arlington Life Shelter has purchased the 7,000 square foot facility adjoining the agency's current property.
The new building at 301 W. Division Street will be used to expand shelter services for the homeless from Arlington and surrounding communities.
The purchase is the result of a $500,000 donation by John David Moritz, President of Moritz Management, LLC, making Moritz the largest individual donor in the shelter's 28-year history. Long- time donor Victor Munson and the Heavenly Father Foundation provided the 10% match needed to purchase the facility outright.
"The new building comes at a critical time for the shelter, as homelessness in Arlington increased nearly 30 percent in 2015, greatly stretching the agency's resources," said Arlington Life Shelter Executive Director Becky Orander. "Over the last year, we have had a tremendous increase in the number of families with preschool age children and homeless persons challenged by mental illness, requiring the shelter to operate beyond capacity most nights."
Expansion of its existing facility will allow the Arlington Life Shelter to provide more specialized services for these population groups, according to a news release from the Arlington Life Shelter.
Specific use of the new facility will be determined by the agency's 2020 strategic plan, now being completed by the Board of Directors. The former owner of the property will remain in the facility until February 2017.
The Arlington Life Shelter provides short-term shelter and employment services for over 1,000 homeless men, women and children in North Texas each year.
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