Lied to fund new Salvation Army center

Rebecca Malone

Friday, Aug. 17, 2001 | 9:59 a.m.

The Salvation Army has received funding from the Lied Foundation to build a new facility for the homeless of Southern Nevada.

The Lied Foundation will be donating $4 million to build the Lied Vocational Training Facility at the Owens Avenue campus of the Salvation Army, west of Main Street.

It will replace the current kitchen and dining rooms, will house a 172-bed residential training facility, a family services department and a 200-seat chapel.

The kitchen and dining rooms are extremely outdated and the new facility will provide a much larger area with new equipment, Charles Desiderio of the Salvation Army said.

The general homeless population is currently housed together with clients enrolled in the Vocational Training Program. The new building will provide dormitory-style beds for those in the training program, Desiderio said.

The new building will house 120 males and 52 females and will provide training in the culinary arts, front office hotel work and security.

The new Family Services Department will have a large food bank, clothing, transportation, Christmas toys, utility assistance and counseling for low-income families.

The Salvation Army hopes to break ground for the facility in early winter, Desiderio said, and is targeting a winter 2002 completion date.