On April 17th, Men’s Emergency Overnight Shelter (First Church) is moving to the new Urban Outreach Space provided by First United Methodist Church.
This move is exciting, as it is both a renewal of our relationship with First United Methodist and an opportunity to work alongside our neighbors.
In 2002, the Compass Center first began its partnership with First United Methodist Church. We opened a 40-bed shelter in the lower level of their church that has provided safe sleeping quarters, showers, warm meals, and case management options to men who are homeless. The program, originally known as “Men’s Inn,” has been called First Church Shelter ever since. But the congregation of First United Methodist had changing needs and decided to rebuild and relocate. In 2008, First Church Shelter moved to our Third Avenue location in Belltown. We expanded capacity to 60 beds the following month.
First United Methodist Church has now finished their new church on Denny Way, complete with an Urban Outreach Space that was designed and built specifically with social services in mind. In mid-April we will continue to provide basic services such as meals, hygiene facilities, storage and laundry in the new facility, but it will now operate in a space that is larger, brighter, and more inviting and usable than the spaces the shelter has occupied in the past. The new space is equipped with a commercial kitchen (perfect for volunteer meals), individual shower rooms, a laundry room and space enough to accommodate real beds for shelter guests.
Compass Housing Alliance is pleased to be partnering with First Methodist. We look forward to the benefits it will bring to our organization, First Church Shelter’s guests, and those looking for volunteer service opportunities.
