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HEARTS WITH A MISSION Hearts With a Mission expanding to Grants Pass Juvenile site there has been closed since 2012 Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Mar. 8, 2016 at 5:15 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Mar. 8, 2016 at 5:15 PM » Social News Hearts With A Mission is expanding its outreach to homeless and troubled youth, with plans to open a second youth shelter in Grants Pass this spring. Grants Pass officials say it's a need that hasn't been filled since 2012, when a former juvenile homeless shelter and detention center closed due to cuts. The shelter, run by Josephine County's Juvenile Justice Department since 1999, had 30 beds — 16 for the main shelter and 14 for the detention center. "Our shelter ran full all the time," said Jim Goodwin , director of Josephine County Juvenile Justice. "Our numbers went up and down over the years based on budget. When we closed, we had 12 beds available, and we had a waiting list." Kevin Lamson, executive director of Hearts With a Mission, said he had been approached about opening a facility similar to the one in Medford, which would replace the closed center. The Medford facility, at 521 Edwards St., has been open since 2009. On its website, the faith-based nonprofit is described as a "child caring agency to provide services for homeless, runaway and transitional living youth, ages 10-17." The facility provides emergency shelter for up to 72 hours, or up to 120 days with consent of parents or guardians, according to the site. Services such as individual case management, youth and family counseling, mentoring and educational support also are provided. Lamson began work on the facility after reading a 2006 newspaper story about youth homelessness in Jackson County. Since then, he says, Hearts With a Mission has served more than 600 Jackson County youth. "They have very limited resources for homeless youth," Lamson said of Grants Pass. "From that standpoint, I wanted to help. I wanted to be a part of their solution. I found tremendous support within the community to help sustain a shelter there if we could work with them to help get it together." The project is still incomplete, but several boxes have been checked. They have received grant funding to help pay staff, along with numerous community donations of money, furniture, and other items. First Community Credit Union donated the building, a 4,100-square-foot house at 1504 Ninth St., near Grants Pass High School. "Everything just started coming together. It was a big snowball," Lamson said. Community officials are looking forward to the facility's opening, saying it will fill a need. Kirk Kolb, assistant superintendent for the Grants Pass School District, said more than 300 K-12 students of the district's 6,100 total are considered homeless, a number that's rapidly increased over the past three years. During the 2014-15 school year, it was 258. The year before that, 165 students were homeless. "From a district perspective, we've seen our numbers more than double in terms of the students who identify as homeless," Kolb said, adding students dealing with homelessness are more likely to struggle in class because of the additional stress. Lamson said it's rewarding to see his original vision expanding. "I feel blessed just to be a small part," he said. A public event with more information about the project will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the Grants Pass High School Performing Arts Center, 725 NE Dean Way. There will be an informational video, speakers and a time for questions. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Mar. 8, 2016 at 5:15 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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