WARREN — Officials from the Warren Family Mission unveiled the new Community Outreach Center Friday afternoon at 155 Tod Ave. NW.

The project was made possible through a $70,000 contribution from American Rescue Plan funds that were donated by council members Todd Johnson, I-1st Ward, Ron White Sr., D-7th Ward, and Andrew Herman, D-2nd Ward.

Johnson praised the mission’s work and the role the center will play in strengthening the community.

“This property, this facility, is like a gateway into the northwest side of Warren,” Johnson said. “To have this resource here, to see the people that you serve, the lives that are being changed, and to see how it’s going to evolve and continue to grow, it just makes my heart full.”

White, who was present alongside Johnson and Warren Family Mission Public Relations Director Dominic Mararri, discussed the significance of the ARP funding in uplifting the community in different areas of need.

“The money was there, not just for the wards, but for us to try to do a lot of things around the city, and we were able to do it,” White said. “And I’m just glad that it came together and a vision of what to do with this space was fulfilled.”

The newly renovated space, located within the Warren Family Mission’s main building, will serve as a hub for various outreach initiatives, including youth programming led by mission director Cait White.

Mararri recounted the long journey to reclaiming and repurposing the space, which was originally occupied by a church.

“Finally, after a lot of years, we were able to take this space back and repurpose it, and we’re also able to work with the church to keep them here, still worshiping,” he said.

“So we were able to complete two goals in one, continue to allow them their desire to worship here and continue to fulfill the dream of Pastor Chris Gilger (former mission director) in making this a community outreach room.”

He discussed the mission’s continued efforts to expand its reach.

“With the impact we’re making in the community and just the reach that we have, we’ve outgrown this space,” Mararri said.

“And so, to be able to take this space back and repurpose it with the help of councilmen who believed in our projects, it’s a dream becoming a reality.”

According to Mararri, the center will need additional resources, including soundproofing, sound equipment, tables, chairs and computers.

The Warren Family Mission has been a staple of the community, providing essential services such as meals, housing and grocery distribution. In 2023 alone, the mission served more than 115,000 hot meals and distributed 20,000 bags of groceries.

With the new outreach center, Mararri hopes to expand efforts to support at-risk youth.

“Our goal and our heart is to really capture the kids when they have a local heart, when they’re young enough before they’re homeless,” he said. “We want to give them the tools and life skills they need before they’re in trouble with the law.”

As the event concluded, Johnson led a prayer over the new space, asking for blessings over the mission’s continued work.

“We know that this ministry, which is what it is, is founded on the precepts of showing the compassion of Jesus Christ to those regardless of walk of life, race, color, or creed,” Johnson said. “We just want to help make people’s lives better.”