Contact: Abigail Willett
amwillett9@gmail.com
630.209.6121
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CommunicAID buys Mercer Street Elementary School to benefit homeless population
Organization funds $2.5 million project to transform vacant school
CHICAGO (May 2018)- The Chicago City Council has decided that Mercer Street Elementary School will be transformed from a vacant building into a brand new facility. The CommunicAID Board of Trustees passed a vote to purchase the property and begin the renovations within the next two months. The $2.5 million project funding will be put toward a new shelter and food pantry for the community and office space for the CommunicAID staff.
The Anderson and Lee architecture firm will turn the empty elementary school into a multi-use facility including a 32 bed overnight shelter, a 60-person day shelter with food service, a 30-person long-term family shelter and a 12,000 square foot pantry. These accommodations will be available to the public Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Director of Communication and Media Lori Smythe said “This project will have a genuinely positive impact on Chicago. We look forward to bringing assistance to this community and watching it flourish from the ground up.” Smythe is confident that the facility will improve the lives of not only the people utilizing its services, but inspire the neighboring people, as well.
CommunicAID has taken on this project among many others. The growing organization has successfully opened shelters and food pantries in surrounding areas. The funding for this project will come from three sources. The Illinois Housing Authorities will fund $500,000 to the project, and half of those funds will be used to remove hazards from the basement of the school. Chicago City Council and a low interest loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide the remaining funds.
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About CommunicAID
CommunicAID was founded in 1994 and funds and manages several food pantries and shelters in the Chicagoland area. Their main goal is to help individuals in underserved communities manage their financial stresses and teach them skills to overcome poverty. CommunicAID fundraises and manages projects such as food pantries, overnight and day shelters, and community centers with tutoring, counseling and financial management skills. For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please visit www.communicaid.org.
*This news release was written for my Writing for Communications Career class where we gained skills in writing press releases, fact sheets, blog posts, pitches, cover letters, and more.*