The Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter says it's made the first step toward expanding its homeless shelter capacity.
The organization has entered into a long-term agreement with St. Patrick's Church in Nashua to rent out the former Sacred Heart elementary school.
Michael Reinke is executive director of the Soup Kitchen and Shelter. He says the current residential facility they've used since the 80s is showing its wear.
"You know, every day we get calls from people with children who need emergency shelter and most often times we have to say no because all of our spaces are full," Reinke says.
The hope is that converting the school will allow the shelter to double the number of families it can offer emergency shelter to.
"Somebody who needs a place to stay tonight, can't pay anything in rent, it's either that or staying in their car,” Reinke says. “Right now we provide emergency shelter for five families, we'd like to increase that to 10 families."
Reinke says the lack of affordable housing in Nashua is contributing to homelessness in the city.
The goal is to raise $3 million over the next 18 months so that construction can begin summer of 2020.
