GALESBURG, Ill. — The Galesburg Rescue Mission is looking to help more people get back on their feet when it moves into a new location.
"Our goal is to rescue people, get them from where they're at, to where they need to be," executive director Darrell Grimm said.
The charity organization, currently located at 435 East 3rd Street, is making progress on renovations at the former Nielsen Elementary School building at 547 North Farnham Street.
"We're hoping by the end of July, maybe we'll be over there," Grimm said. "It's a whole lot nicer facility."
Grimm said the mission's current building is seriously aged, as it was originally built in the 1930s.
"This facility... it's kind of getting run down, and we need a new place to be."
The new location will have community spaces, living areas, new bathrooms and more.
"It will be able to service probably about 40 men and 40 women, and a couple families," Grimm said. "Where we're in right now, we just have men and women, we can't really do full family — so we're working on that."
Efforts have been supported by the Galesburg community with donations of furniture, supplies and money.
"We have a fundraiser on April 28th," Grimm said. "They made 200 tickets and they're all sold."
The mission is also waiting to see if the City of Galesburg will purchase its current building.
The council was going to vote on buying it for $350,000 at an April 17 council meeting, with plans to use it as a homeless shelter and warming station.
However, the council decided to table the vote until the May 1 meeting after one member said the council should wait until there is more confirmed commitment from other agencies on how to manage the building.
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