Catholic Charities partners with Gonzaga Prep to provide family homeless shelter

May 29, 2020 9:13 AM

Erin Robinson,

Posted: May 29, 2020 9:13 AM

by Erin Robinson

Homelessness ad from Catholic Charities surfaces online — Catholic Charities Eastern Washington

SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga Preparatory school’s alumni gym will serve as a temporary shelter for families experiencing homelessness.

Catholic Charities and Gonzaga Prep partnered in the fall to provide shelter space for families. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures were enacted, creating a need for more space.

Gonzaga Prep’s facilities are closed until June 19 and the school offered to provide their space to families in need. The space allows for up to 60 people to safely sleep.

“The shared desire to serve and support the most marginalized members in our community forms the bedrock of the relationship between Catholic Charities Eastern Washington and Gonzaga Prep,” said Dawn Kinder, VP of Stabilization at Catholic Charities. “The space the gym provides is absolutely necessary to continue serving families in need throughout our community. We are thrilled to partner with Prep and ensure families have a space during these times.”

“Our Catholic mission calls us to educate our students to devote their gifts in service to the world, especially those most in need,” said Michael Dougherty, President of Gonzaga Prep. “When Catholic Charities called for help, we recognized an opportunity to lead by example. As long as we are not able to serve our students on campus, we are grateful for the chance to share our space with families who need the support of our community.”