LANSING, Mich — With temperatures dropping sharply in Lansing, City Rescue Mission is preparing to welcome more people experiencing homelessness into their expanded shelter.
- Lansing’s City Rescue Mission has opened its new West Kalamazoo Street shelter, expanding capacity as temperatures drop.
- The new facility will allows house up to 200 men and 100 women once fully complete.
- Staff say the need for space has been urgent, and for the first time in months, the shelter has open beds.
- A community open house will let neighbors tour the shelter, which is now accepting men and women daily for day and overnight services.
WATCH: City Rescue Mission's shelter expansion comes just in time for winter weather
The organization’s brand-new shelter on West Kalamazoo Street is officially opening its doors, offering expanded space just in time for winter’s harshest stretch.
Inside the new facility, City Rescue Mission senior director of community engagement, Laura Grimwood, reflected on the move and what it means for the Mission’s future.
“The cross here actually came from our Michigan Avenue location chapel,” she said. “It’s sad to leave that spot, but this definitely opens us up to a lot of opportunity.”
Throughout the year, the City Rescue Mission has provided updates on the construction and progress of the new shelter. On Friday, we were given another tour of the space.
“We expanded down into our men’s dorm, and this is going to be our future women’s dorm,” Grimwood explained.
The added space comes at a critical time. As the cold intensifies, City Rescue Mission has already been able to house more than 100 men each night. Once construction is fully complete, the shelter will be able to serve 200 men and 100 women nightly, dramatically increasing capacity for those who need it most.
“The need was definitely here right away,” Grimwood said. “We had to expand for our men especially because we didn’t have enough space. Now that Phase 2 is done, we’ve rolled right into that second dorm, and we have open beds — which we haven’t been able to say in months.”
She emphasized that this growth is possible only because of the community’s ongoing support.
“Everything that we do is because the heart of the community is behind us.”
On Saturday from 10:00am to 2:00pm , the City Rescue Mission will host a community open house, inviting neighbors to tour the new space and see firsthand how volunteer efforts and donations have transformed the shelter.
“We’re here, our doors are open, and we have open beds. We’re ready to welcome people,” Grimwood added.
he City Rescue Mission is now accepting men and women into its day shelter seven days a week. Overnight services will continue as well, with men housed at the new Wet Kalamazoo Street facility and women soon to follow once the remaining dorm spaces are fully prepared.
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