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(New) House of Hope The windowless basement of the homeless shelter is the women's dormitory and holds about 25 beds. "It's depressing, dark and claustrophobic," said shelter Director Kathy Treggiari. But come Wednesday, the center will say goodbye to its institutional dormitories and officially open a newly renovated building. "For some residents, even having a clean bathroom could be a better outlook for the day," said Chris Morency, a supportive services manager. The Lowell Transitional Living Center is a nonprofit temporary shelter for single adult homeless men and women. The center houses a maximum of 90 to 100 people per night and receives funding from various state and federal agencies, as well as private and corporate donors. The center's new building is fresh and modern, with individual bathrooms, dormitories with dividers for privacy and bay windows. Morency said having more privacy will boost the residents' self esteem. "Now they won't feel as if they're being watched or gawked at," said Morency. "Many people feel the stereotype that they're the bums in the shelter." The new building also has 12 permanent subsidized apartments for elderly and disabled residents. Treggiani said the idea of apartments inside the shelter is a cutting-edge way to combat homelessness, creating a bridge toward independence. "In our own way, we're ending homelessness with those apartments," said Treggiani. "They'll have all the support the need, so they don't fall through the cracks." The shelter offers many support services, including GED courses, mental-health services, a full-time nursing staff from Lowell Community Health Center, case workers, a detox coordinator and three free meals a day available to shelter residents and the entire Lowell community. Rick DeLisle has been at the Lowell Transitional Living Center for four months. DeLisle is a recovering alcoholic who has survived two heart attacks, a small stroke and currently struggles with diabetes. DeLisle hopes he'll get to live in one of the new apartments, because he wants to remain close to the support programs offered at the shelter. "I have bad circulation," said DeLisle. "I'm afraid if I start drinking again, I'll loose both my legs." The new building, which was formerly Butch's Bar, is a couple doors down from the existing center on Merrimack Street. It took the center 10 years to finally purchase the building for $302,252 and $2.4 million dollars to renovate it, Treggiari said. The center will continue to rent its existing building to house programs and services, such as its meal program. Treggiari said the new building offers light at the end of the tunnel for many residents. "By the time someone comes to us, they're so beaten down and depressed that they have lost a lot of their hope," said Treggiari. "So we hope for them until they can hope for themselves." The Lowell Transitional Living Center's Open House is open to the public and will be held at 189 Middlesex Street on Wed. Jan. 11 at 10 a.m. Anyone interested in donating or volunteering at the Lowell Transitional Living Center can contact Kathy Treggiari at (978) 458-9888 or e-mail ktreggiari@ltlc.org. The Center is in need of a new outreach van, which is used to deliver food and blankets to people living outside, and new vinyl mattresses and sleeper chairs for the new apartments.
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