Home Welcome By the Numbers Our Door is Always Open Fremont Area Chamber Small Business, Big Dreams Education Getting Fit Map of Fremont Home for the Homeless Housing Your First Stop for Business News Briefs Recreation Churches Seasonal Events       home | fremont news | chamber of commerce | sponsors | contact us Building ... HOPE What began as a simple turkey dinner in 1985, Care Corps Inc. has developed into a first class facility for helping homeless families and individuals put the pieces back together and achieve independence. Beginning in 1996 in a delapidated downtown motel, Care Corps Inc. was merely a homeless shelter for those in need. Every year that need had increased, as had the cost of maintaining the deteriorating facility. In 2004, the board of directors began a $1.8 million capital campaign to meet the demand and to offer additional support for the residents. Among the goals of the campaign was the construction of a new facility, complete with classrooms, counseling rooms, dining room, kitchen and playground, as well as an increase in the number of bedrooms. The new facility would include 18 sleeping rooms which can house up to 60 people, divided into three wings specifically for women and children or single women, single men and families. In December 2006, construction of the new 11,000 square foot facility was completed. The old hotel previously used for client bedrooms will be demolished for a new parking lot. The location is prime, Tammy Evans, executive director of Care Corps said. “We’re lucky in that we’re in a visible location, close to other agencies,” she said. During the past ten years, the services provided at Care Corps have changed, said board Vice President Cathy Saeger. “When we started, it was just a place for people to sleep,” Saeger said. “In the last year or so, we’ve been able to increase the quality and quantity of programs to assist people. This (new facility) will help a lot.” In addition to providing people and families with a safe place to sleep, programs designed to improve their life skills — such as budgeting, parenting and nutrition — also are offered, as are programs designed to help adults find jobs that match their skills. Additionally, Care Corps now has the capability for a bit of preventative medicine. The new facility will allow for parenting classes to be open to the community, not just to residents. Additionally, RentWise, a nationally recognized program will educate on specific areas of home rental and leasing, emphasizing the importance of positive communication, money management and home maintenance and repair. “... My self-esteem is better now than what it once was – I have purpose again. Thank you for making us go to the Life Skills classes and believing that I could live a happy and sober life ... you all believe in everyone enough to keep telling us that we can succeed in life if we are willing to try new things and let others help.” Thank you all, Karen (excerpt from a thank you written by a former resident) Masonic Home Adds Ed Center The old tennis court to the south of the administration building at the Eastern Star Masonic Home for Children has been replaced by a new education center. The 9,600-square-foot education center is utilized as tutoring space for residents, who usually range in age from 12 to 18 years old, as well as for holding art classes, providing a meeting place, in-service space for the staff and storage space for the home’s 4-H program. The center also features a multi-purpose computer lab with laptop machines, allowing the room to be used for a variety of purposes. The home has had a tutoring program for many years, however, a tutor was assigned to each cottage and their individual strengths were not always utilized. Now, with a central building, tutors can be better used and those educational strengths can be tapped. All of the residents attend Fremont Public Schools, however, in many cases a new resident may be behind. The new Education Center now affords all residents a place to grow academically. home | fremont news | chamber of commerce | sponsors | contact us