By Kris Richey Curtis

Last night I attended the Mary’s Place Open House and Celebration of the new site at 130th and Aurora. Kinzer Partners was thanked for our role in the site selection process which entailed uncovering a vacant City-owned property which could be repurposed to provide shelter for over 60 people with room to accommodate more. This was the result of the Mayor’s Office, Human Services Department and Fleets and Facilities coming together to provide a solution to an urgent and important problem.

At the ceremony two families spoke of how Mary’s Place has saved their life. One mother and her two children who had fled from a domestic violence situation and had been living out of her car when she discovered Mary’s Place. And a single father of five whose house had burned down during economic hardship leaving them with no money and no place to stay. During the event Mary’s Place collected school supplies and snack for the children at Mary’s Place as they get ready to send children back to school.