WEST BOISE, Idaho — Interfaith Sanctuary has started construction for their new 42,500 sqft. shelter. The facility will be able to house 205 guests and is expected to be completed early Fall of 2025.
- The shelter will be a 24/7 accessed space as opposed to the current overnight shelter in downtown Boise.
- The facility will have medical access, learning opportunities, and pre-k learning for children.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"They're going to have a much safer, more dignified experience here," said Jodi Peterson-Stigers, executive director of Interfaith Sanctuary.
Jodi Peterson-Stigers is talking about Boise's unhoused population and as the executive director of one of the city's largest shelters, she knows how valuable it is to have a supportive community.
"This is all about welcoming and giving them the ability to have hopes and dreams again," said Peterson-Stigers.
Interfaith Sanctuary recently started construction on its newest state street location. The 42,500 square foot shelter will give Interfaith its first family center as well as several amenities like medical access, learning opportunities, and a 24-hour space for unhoused people to stay which the Boise Ada County homeless coalition sees as a needed piece in this neighborhood.
"We can't pretend or move people around. We can't keep shuttling people around and people need a place to be on their way to being fully housed," said Denise Caruzzi, director of community outreach with the Boise Ada County Homeless Coalition.
"So, it really does become the wrap-around shelter we'd hoped Boise could have," said Caruzzi.
The new shelter can house over 200 people and provides pre-k learning for unhoused kids.
"Those children deserve to have the same access as those kids who have homes and so that's a really important component to our family program," said Peterson-Stigers.
Though it will have room for over two hundred new guests, Denise Caruzzi says this is just one step into helping many of Boise's unhoused.
"This issue is not an easy one to solve. We don't solve it with a single shelter, even a spectacular one," said Caruzzi.
