PHOENIX — After more than a year under construction, St. Vincent de Paul welcomed some new residents into its 100-bed transitional housing facility on Monday.
The shelter, located on Watkins Street in south Phoenix, will house adults over 50, veterans and adults with disabilities. The shelter provides a safe place for individuals working to end homelessness and will provide "one-to-one case management and wraparound support."
The facility has a nurse on site and workforce development assistance. Three meals a day are provided across the street from the shelter.
Jessica Berg, the chief program officer at St. Vincent de Paul, said the goal is to "welcome everyone with love, and help them heal with love."
For Christopher Scott, this is the start of his new journey.
"It kinda feels like a dream right now. To walk in this building and be the first person to step through the doors here. I must be a lucky man," Scott said.
Scott is the first of 13 people who will move into their new home this week. Scott, who struggles with chronic pain, chronic anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, said having shelter will allow him to focus on getting back on his feet.
"With these amazing case managers that are here, I can get some of these things taken care of that I need to take care of. God willing to get myself a key to my own apartment, and have my own place, and go back to living a normal life," Scott said.