Warren Family Mission to receive $70,000 for new multi-purpose center
The Warren Family Mission (WFM) will be receiving a total of $70,000 from members of Warren City Council for a new multi-purpose community center.
WFM Director of Public Relations Dominic Mararri tells 21 News three members of Warren City Council will be contributing with this project with First Ward Councilman Tod Johnson giving $50,000 and Second Ward Councilman Andrew Herman and Seventh Ward Councilman Ron White each giving $10,000.
These funds are part of $500,000 worth of ARP funds given to each individual council member to spend at their discretion.
This new community center will be housed in what used to be the sanctuary of the Tod Avenue United Methodist Church. WFM purchased this building back in 2014, but the church was still using the sanctuary until 2023.
Now that the Mission has the room for themselves, it's being transformed into an area for vulnerable people to congregate, as well as an area to host larger events like WFM's toy giveaways and community dinner events.
The center will have a basketball hoop, tables and chairs for meal events and an area for an after school program for at-risk youth. All of these features are shown in the slideshow above.
Renovations began once the Mission gained access to the sanctuary, but some renovations still need to be done including flooring, ceiling and drywall work.
While an exact cost is not known, Mararri estimates he'll need another $60,000 to finish the project totaling at around $130,000.