NORTHAMPTON — An effort to house homeless young people in town got a major boost when Edwards Church cut a $50,000 check to help the project, advocates announced late last week.
The Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals (FHCHI) in March closed on a single-family house on 11 Hatfield St., where FHCHI and DIAL/SELF Youth & Community Services plan to house young people who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless.
The apartments will be available for those aged 18 to 24 with a preference for young people in the Northampton area. The group is also planning another structure in a lot adjacent to the planned apartments.
Phase 1, renovating the single-family home, is expected to be done by the end of the summer.
The total cost for both buildings will be between $900,000 and $1 million, Phil Ringwood, executive director of DIAL/SELF, said in May. That is above original estimates.
Rick Hart, president of FHCHI, said in a statement Edwards Church has been an ally for years.
“Edwards Church has been a staunch ally of ours for years, in many ways, but with this gift they’ve gone above and beyond,” Hart said. “It’s an inspiring example of care and commitment.”
Jeanne Kocsis, co-chair of the Edwards Church Christian Outreach Committee, said in a statement she has noticed clientele at MANNA soup kitchen events skew younger.
“We saw an opportunity to have an impact,” she said.
Ringwood said youth at risk of becoming homeless are often exiting foster care, have tumultuous family situations or can no longer stay in parent-subsidized housing because they are too old.
Ringwood said there is a significant need. According to a news release, the Continuum of Care Homeless Information System data shows 54 homeless young people were served at two shelters in 2014 and 39 in 2015, with 13 others served at Northampton’s Grove Street Inn over both years.
The young people will sign three-month leases, pay income-based rent and be responsible for community service hours and participating in support classes.
The collaboration is still accepting donations. Those can be made at hamphomeless.org or mailed to Friends of Hampshire County Homeless, P.O. Box 60398, Florence, MA, 01062.
Jack Suntrup can be reached at jsuntrup@gazettenet.com.