Jul 24, 2015 2 min read

“City Mission Mobile” rolled into town Friday. Nine temporary trailers at 400 W. Beau St. will serve dozens of male residents who were displaced by a fire last month that destroyed three men’s dormitories, as well as a kitchen, dining hall, chapel and medical clinic, at the nonprofit organization’s Washington center.

Washington School District was housing the men in its high school cafeteria, but with classes starting again soon, the men needed a new place to stay.

“We’re excited to get this mobile city up and running so that our male residents can get back to their scheduled programs,” City Mission Chief Executive Officer Dean Gartland said.

The “bare bones” trailers were delivered Friday to the lot near the mission’s Hidden Treasures store, but they need to be outfitted with bed bunks, desks, plumbing and power, which could take a couple of weeks, according to Sally Mounts, director of development. The facility also needs to pass a city inspection before it can open to residents.

The trailer units will be connected together to form a single-housing facility replete with heating and air conditioning, showers, restrooms, emergency lighting, fire alarms and smoke detectors.

“It’s really a fully functioning mini-city,” Gartland said. “There will be a laundry room with washers and dryers. There will even be a large open recreation area/TV room for relaxation.”

The high school cafeteria was housing 45 men, but the mobile facility will allow up to 56 men to stay in four separate trailers designated as dormitories.

“We anticipate that the trailers will fill to full capacity very soon,” Mounts said, adding that City Mission continues to accept applicants into its program for homeless men.

Going forward, City Mission hopes to raise money to eventually rent classroom space and get a mobile clinic up and running. Since its chapel was destroyed, the Mission also plans to find a new space for a cold weather shelter, which typically houses between 25 and 30 people each winter.

“The community has been very generous,” Mounts said, “and there’s been an outpouring of support, in terms of meals and monetary donations.”