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Fundraising is taking place to have asbestos removed from a women and children's shelter in Jamestown

UCAN City Mission's new facility will open its doors to women and children
Posted at 7:19 PM, Aug 03, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-04 15:48:39-04

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WKBW) — For the first time in its history, UCAN City Mission in Jamestown will open its doors to women and children. However, during this major transformation, asbestos was found during early stages of construction.

"These old buildings are notorious for that," said Rotunda. "What we weren’t planning on was it being in some of the dry wall."

UCAN City Mission came across the asbestos during its expansion. The women's shelter will be just around the corner from the current men's shelter in a renovated 4-story building. It will be the first of its kind according to Rotunda.

"The YWCA has some transitional housing for women and families," said Rotunda. "The Salvation Army has the new center that is for crime victims and domestic violence but there's no true emergency shelter."

Rotunda told 7 News the shelter will have features to meet the needs of families and bring normalcy to children all year round.

"So this is going to be our families facility with our dining space will be next door," said Rotunda. "The third floor will be our full activity center with an indoor playground, different learning centers, some classrooms and then the fourth floor is going to be for our single women. So we'll have 45 beds up there for single women, down here we'll have 40 beds for our families."

UCAN City Mission is now waiting for funding to come in to complete the project and the Ascension Leadership Academy is there to help.

"We are committed to raising $50,000 for UCAN City Mission, specifically for the women and children's facility," said volunteer Kacyn Cheney. "So far we have raised $10,000 and we have eight days to go and we are so excited."

This organization launched the campaign just a few months ago, according to Cheney.

"To see a group of 24 strangers, who didn't know each other four months ago come together and be able to give back to a community that is in need of something like this and to see that it's not about us, it's about how we can serve other people in the community," said Cheney.

You can find more information on how to take part in the campaign here: Ascension Leadership Academy Website