The Kenai Peninsula’s first homeless shelter is gearing up to open in December. It will be located in Nikiski on the Kenai Spur Highway 3.1 miles north of Andeavor/Tesoro Facility. Building amenities include 14 total bedrooms, including nine large double or single occupancy rooms and five smaller single occupancy rooms, with the potential to add additional cots and bunk beds. There are seven total restrooms and six showers. A TV room upstairs with three couches. A kitchen and large dining hall, and a mud room and outdoor area. Meals will be provided at least once a day by the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank.
Love INC will run and care for the facility. Leslie Rohr, Executive Director of Love INC on the Kenai Peninsula said that they want to help those who need to use the facility. In doing so, they will provide or connect people with the wraparound services they need to become stable.
Tim Navarre, President of the Kenai Peninsula Foundation said:
“The unique thing about this shelter that people should understand is once clients come to us, we work with them to move them to the next level to get them in to stable housing. We find out what their resources are. Whether they have a job. What all the issues are. Everybody’s individual and has their different issues. The staff will work with them and other agencies because this is a cooperative working relationship even between the other nonprofits throughout the community. We will find solutions for every client that comes in. This is only a temporary facility for them. It will be needed for the next person and the next person, but we try to move them and make them self-reliant on with themselves and have their own home.”
The purchase funds for the building was covered by Rasmuson Foundation and Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI). The total purchase price was around $360,000 for the entire facility. In addition, $50,000 was donated from the George Pollard Estate through Kasilof Community Church for operating costs.
Nikiski Offices and Lodging Information Packet (1)