reStart Inc - Facility Renovation
Goals, Objectives and Progress of reStart's Facility Renovation:
The goal of reStart's facility renovation plans are to provide for the dignity, comfort, health, security and safety of Kansas City's most vulnerable citizens.
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Diane Botwin Alpert and Executive Director Evie Craig at groundbreaking |
reStart and JE Dunn partner on the construction project. |
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| The new face of reStart Inc | Newly remodeled Family Transitional Living shelter at reStart Inc. |
Check out our open house to showcase the newly renovated Family Transitional Living Shelter
http://www.medialibraryvideovault.com/medialibrary/kc/client/ReStart/New%20Restart%20Center.wmv
We are pleased to report on our renovation progress thus far. reStart has completed several construction goals, including the renovation of four floors to create six family suites per floor – each with two bedrooms, a bathroom, and living space and the renovation of the first floor to create a youth shelter with secure and customized space for emergency shelter of runaway and homeless youth ages 12 – 18 (a capacity of 4 girls and 6 boys). The newly renovated section is also equipped with central heat and air, double glazed windows, key card access only for residents and a sprinkler system. Additionally, an enhanced front lobby has been completed, including counseling space and staff offices, a state-of the-art security system and installation of a new sprinkler system, smoke alarms, elevator adjustments and key-card security.
The next phase of renovations will involve reconfiguring our highest need programs--the family emergency shelter--so we can serve 15 families at a time (a 50% increase in capacity) and our overnight emergency shelter for single adults that will include renovating two separate floors, one for men and one for women, for increased security and to increase capacity from 50 to 65 men and from 33 to 50 women a night. These renovations are critical in order to handle the growing need and waiting list for these two programs which turn away singles and families in need on a daily basis due to lack of space. Other renovations include two floors for single adult transitional housing and the completion of our multi-purpose room to house counseling space, meetings, fitness and nutrition programs and health education workshops.
Summary:
When reStart began providing shelter in the early 1980s, our residents were adult men and some women – single persons visible on the streets of downtown Kansas City. Our focus has expanded as the number of children and youth sheltered at reStart rose from 6 in 1996 to 626 in 2006. This is an increase of over 1200 percent. Our emergency and transitional families live on one floor, in each family in a single dorm room. They families share a communal bathroom with 10 other families. The rooms are small and the windows are drafty in the winter and blistering in the summer. The current facility, lacking adequate heating, ventilation, plumbing and security, does not provide for the safety, security, and comfort of the children we serve who range in age from newborns to young adults.
Your Support can Help!
We want to thank all of the donors to A New Start Homeless Shelter Renovation project. To date, reStart has obtained the support of numerous foundation, corporate, government, and individual donors. We have raised over half of our $8 million total goal. If you are interested in making a donation to the campaign, please contact Evelyn Craig, Executive Director at (816) 472-5664 x.252 or email her at ecraig@restartinc.org - Tax credits are also available. Or, click the link at the bottom of the page for more information.
Some of our major donors include: the Hall Family Foundation, the JE and LE Mabee Foundation, JE Dunn Construction Company, City of Kansas City, Missouri – Community Development Block Grant, the Missouri Housing Trust Fund, the Sunderland Foundation, the American Century Foundation, H&R Block, the WT Kemper Foundation, Gary Dickinson Family Charitable Foundation and many more generous individuals.
The Honorary Chair of the Renovation project is Mr. William Dunn, Sr., President Emeritus of JE Dunn Construction Company in Kansas City and one of the top philanthropic leaders in our community, well experienced in major capital campaigns. The Chair is Robert P. Dunn, of JE Dunn Construction and the Dunn Family Foundation. Bob Dunn has provided countless hours of work to help ensure this project is a success and will meet the needs of homeless citizens --neighbors sharing our community.
To Donate:
