On May 28, Renton’s new REACH Center of Hope, a shelter for homeless women and children, will accept its first family.

Last Friday afternoon, the project team, City of Renton staff and the community turned out for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the center in the renovated and converted former jail in the basement of Renton City Hall.

“You will be amazed by the transformation that has taken place,” Rev. Linda Smith said to the crowd that gathered in front of City Hall for the event.

She is the director of the Center of Hope and has been leading the project with Maggie Breen, Renton Ecumenical Association of Churches’ executive director, for more than a year. When Smith and Breen were honored by Terry Higashiyama, Renton Community Services administrator, both credited the partnerships they formed and the many volunteers that helped make project a reality.

Renton Mayor Denis Law cited statistics that identified more than 300 kids counted as homeless in the city during the last check. Law called the Center of Hope a “tremendous effort; it’s a great first start,” he said.

“This is going to be the promise of a better future for a lot of people,” Law said.

The Center of Hope will provide day resources for homeless women and children. The new space has a kitchen, laundry facilities, furnished meeting rooms, a library with materials for kids, a dressing room, bathrooms, showers, a common room and a conference room with a door for privacy during counseling and case management.

Unlike most shelters, mothers will be able to stay with their children, including boys 12 years old and up. Families can use the center in the daytime and will be transported to a church that will host them overnight. St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, in Renton, will be the first to host a mother and her three children, who will show up on May 28.

City Councilman Don Persson toured the center on Friday with other event attendees and was amazed by what he saw. When he was deputy police chief, Persson oversaw the construction of the jail at City Hall and managed it until he retired.

“This is just an awesome use,” he said. “I never thought that they could make an old jail look this nice. They have done just a tremendous tremendous job. What an amenity for our kids and our community.”

Breen said she was not surprised that the project came together so quickly and attributed its success to the partners involved and REACH’s credibility in the community.

“We have this credibility in the community and so people trust us when we ask, ‘Will you come help with this?’,” she said. “They know that we’re about being with people and not coming with any particular agenda. We just want to be with the community and meet people where they have needs. So, people trust that.”

It took the support of the City of Renton, Communities in Schools of Renton, Catholic Community Services, the Renton Library Board, the Friendly Kitchen, Church World Service, and Public Health – Seattle and King County to create the center, Breen said.

She also thanked contractor Justin Jensen, who went above and beyond renovating the space. Jensen even donated a granite slab and carefully cut it to fit, as one of the countertops in a bathroom.

Jensen, Michael Nolan, Dave Gillespie, Barb Anderson, Michael Thomas and Darlene Larson were recognized by Higashiyama as individuals who volunteered their time to construct, organize, create graphics, paint and clean the center.

Smith said she was excited about his accomplishment and had a deep sense of joy, knowing the Center of Hope is going to help families in need.

“I just think it’s been amazing,” Smith said. “It’s everything and more than I’ve ever expected. I guess I can’t say enough about the overwhelming support in the community – everybody setting aside differences and coming together for a common purpose and cause.”