NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – A public meeting was held at the Edwards Church Monday night in the city of Northampton in order to share updates and gather valuable community input on the development of the Northampton Community Resilience Hub.
“For us this is a new project, one we are very excited about,” said Mayor of Northampton, Gina-Louise Sciarra.
This hub space located at the former First Baptist church building on 289 Main Street in the heart of downtown Northampton will serve as a multi-functional space for the community.
“It’s a beautiful historic building so it is very exciting to be able to show people what this building looks like, it’s a real treasure of our community.”
Mayor of Northampton, Gina-Louise Sciarra.
Dozens of people were able to get a glimpse inside this old historic church, which has been closed for 30 years and is now being repurposed for the benefit of the community.
“This is a project that we have determined from a lot of surveys and interviews with folks, that it is a real need in our community, and this building is a really beautiful space that I hope will make everyone feel welcome,” expressed Mayor Sciarra.
“This is really an innovative project to connect social services in a single place to lower the barriers to accessing those services, making sure everyone gets what they need in one place, while at the same time creating a community center that will really support all of our community members,” said the Coordinator for Community Resilience Hub, Gilad Meron.
It will be an educational and artistic hub, providing a place for public gatherings and promoting community engagement. In addition, it will serve as an emergency response center for the city’s commitment to climate resilience. The hub will also offer essential services, such as a community kitchen, clothing, WiFi, showers, lockers, and a safe place to rest.
“Creating greater access to the services and resources that already exist is a critical first step in helping people stabilize their lives and gain access to longer supports that can really help build out of cycles of poverty and homelessness,” explained Meron.
“During the pandemic we definitely saw an increase in the houseless community here and we have a housing crisis throughout the entire nation and it is certainly here in the commonwealth. So that has had a huge impact on people finding affordable places where people can live,” added Mayor Sciarra.
City officials hope that the building will be open by 2025 to address this problem. The next meeting is scheduled for May 1st, where the public can come together again to share more of their ideas.
Kayleigh Thomas is a digital reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Kayleigh on X @kayleighcthomas and view her bio to see more of her work.
Kayleigh Thomas
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