BUTTE— The Butte Rescue mission plans to renovate the cluttered warehouse in between the emergency shelter and their office building into a multipurpose facility.
"Mainly food, a healthy dining hall, and then some office space and some clinic rooms for dental, for healthcare for the homeless and some other health counseling rooms," said Brayton Erickson.
The warehouse is roughly 5,000 square feet. The rescue mission plans to move the kitchen and dining room area to the warehouse to keep up with the growing need for meals.
They currently serve 220 meals a day.
"That’s over 70,000 meals in a year and just out of our small kitchen," said Erickson.
The warehouse would also function as an emergency shelter for overflow in the main facility.
"You know we’d have space for people to come inside or even emergency situations—temporary cots or something like that they could set up inside," said Erickson.
Amy Kroon says the Butte Rescue mission is an important resource in the community.
"When it’s forty degrees on a Sunday and –22 on a Tuesday, it’s the most dangerous time. It really is. It’s when people can really die and so we always take these things seriously and we do our best to be available to anyone in need," said Kroon.
Erickson says that they have gotten grant money to cover some of the expenses and hope to fund raise the rest to begin renovations on the warehouse, "that can really create a safe space for people," said Erickson.
Right now it’s in the planning phase, but they hope to start renovations in the fall.
