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Hope Center
The Hope Center
During the 1980s, as affordable housing units disappeared and poverty expanded, the problem of homelessness grew, nationally and locally, to the point that it could no longer be ignored. Something had to be done. In Lexington, the Urban County Government formed the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, chaired by Debra Hensley. The task force studied the problem and issued its report in October, 1990. In this report, “By and For the Community,” the task force called for the establishment of a “24-hour comprehensive service facility. The overriding philosophy of this facility should be directed at providing services to all who need them.”
That facility is the Hope Center, which was created by a merger of the Community Kitchen and the Horizon Center. The Hope Center exists because the Urban County Government called for its creation.
The report stated that needs must be met on a variety of levels – beginning with the provision of safe and accessible shelter. The report further recognized the need for services that encourage movement out of shelter dependency. The Urban County Government built the facility on West Loudon Avenue and delegated to the Hope Center the primary responsibility for dealing with the adult male homeless population in Lexington. (The Salvation Army undertook primary responsibility for women and families.) The building opened in June, 1993.
During the 1980s, as affordable housing units disappeared and poverty expanded, the problem of homelessness grew, nationally and locally, to the point that it could no longer be ignored. Something had to be done. In Lexington, the Urban County Government formed the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, chaired by Debra Hensley. The task force studied the problem and issued its report in October, 1990. In this report, “By and For the Community,” the task force called for the establishment of a “24-hour comprehensive service facility. The overriding philosophy of this facility should be directed at providing services to all who need them.”
That facility is the Hope Center, which was created by a merger of the Community Kitchen and the Horizon Center. The Hope Center exists because the Urban County Government called for its creation.
The report stated that needs must be met on a variety of levels – beginning with the provision of safe and accessible shelter. The report further recognized the need for services that encourage movement out of shelter dependency. The Urban County Government built the facility on West Loudon Avenue and delegated to the Hope Center the primary responsibility for dealing with the adult male homeless population in Lexington. (The Salvation Army undertook primary responsibility for women and families.) The building opened in June, 1993.
