It will be history in the making as Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky (ESNKY) breaks ground on its new and innovative facility located at 436 West 13th Street in Covington today.
The ceremonial groundbreaking will take place at 11 a.m.
The new 9,000 sq. ft. facility will serve up to 68 clients nightly more than doubling the shelter’s current capacity. ESNKY’s new space, designed specifically as a homeless shelter, will also serve as Northern Kentucky’s first daytime Navigation Center giving guests a safe place to stay during the day where they can shower, do laundry and connect to services if needed.
“Gone are the days of repurposing rooms to accommodate clients,” said ESNKY Executive Director, Kim Webb. “Built to fit our needs, this new facility is a dream come true as it will enable us to provide shelter in a much more functional setting. Moreover, this new facility will offer important services to our clients day and night, providing a much needed safe space for our most vulnerable population,” she added.
Many notable guests will be in attendance at ESNKY’s ceremonial groundbreaking including Kenton County Judge Executive Kris Knochelman and Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Brent Cooper. Kentucky’s Governor Andy Beshear will send a videotaped message with his remarks about this significant event in our community.
“The groundbreaking of ESNKY’s new facility shows that Northern Kentucky continues to be a compassionate and generous community,” said Jamie Weaver, President of ESNKY’s Board of Directors. He added, “If there was ever a time to realize the importance of a safe place where basic needs can be met, it is now. Considering all of the challenges presented by COVID-19, this new space will improve the health of not only our guests, but the entire community.”
The groundbreaking celebration for the new ESNKY location follows the demolition phase of the project. The new facility will be under construction by Furlong Building later in December. Construction will include building a new facility that will include sleeping quarters, showers and bathrooms while a large part of the existing building is being remodeled to house intake and common area spaces.
ESNKY is appreciative of their benefactors who generously supported the dream of a new home for the shelter. As with any project of this scope however, more assistance will be necessary to complete the new facility.
“Our fundraising efforts will continue throughout the phases of construction into next year,” said Kim Webb. “To date, over 60% of the project is funded and we are working hard to secure to meet our goal in early 2021.”
For more information on contributing to the shelter fund, please visit EmergencyShelter.org.
Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky was established in 2008 as the region’s only cold weather shelter for adults. Since that time, countless men and women from all over the region have sought refuge at ESNKY. In the summer of 2010, ESNKY also began providing shelter during the warmer months for men who are working towards achieving housing, income and improvement of health. Originally created by a group of concerned citizens and business owners with an altruistic spirit, ESNKY continues to operate with a clear vision and a compelling mission. Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky believes that shelter is a basic human necessity and only when this basic necessity is provided do people have the ability to recover from homelessness.