New daytime home for Philadelphians without a place to live opening in January

A new facility is under construction in Center City Philadelphia that is designed as a bridge for homeless people who aren’t ready to go to a shelter.

Proceeds from a Monday morning fundraiser will help finance the project for helping homeless people move into shelters, transitional housing and jobs. It generated $850,000.

They’re transforming an 11,000 square foot former police station near Suburban Station into the new Hub of Hope.

Sister Mary Scullion of Project HOME said the new one is a far cry from the 100-square-foot storefront that was the hub’s home for many years.

“Since then, from that humble storefront, the phenomenal staff of Project HOME has placed 1,429 people into shelter, treatment programs and housing,” Scullion said.

The hub will serve the homeless population that chafes at the rules in shelters, said John Middleton, Philadelphia Phillies managing partner.

“It’s not a commitment the way entering a shelter is, so I think we will get many more people into shelters and on that ladder to independence and stability and self-reliance,” he said.

The facility is expected to open around the first of the year.

The move comes as Philadelphia’s homeless population is growing.  City officials say the opioid crisis is fueling that growth all over Philadelphia.