A second homeless shelter in Bremerton will open its doors April 19 for women and children, following the Bremerton Salvation Army’s shelter that opened in February.
Operated by the Bremerton Rescue Mission with the Weaver Foundation, the Georgia Mattson Memorial Shelter, known as “Georgia’s House,” will be located at 4846 Auto Center Way and will accommodate six single women and four families, said Walt Le Couteur, executive director of the mission. The shelter will operate for up to six months under the city’s emergency order but the lease of the building is for 18 months, Le Couteur said.
Originally organizers were anticipating a March start but construction, including placing new windows and building partitions as well as acquiring permits, took longer.
The late Georgia Mattson, of Silverdale, is credited with proposing the idea for a women’s shelter. The shelter is named in her memory since she was “the spark plug that got everything moving,” Le Couteur said.
A dedication ceremony for the shelter is scheduled on site at 5 p.m. on April 18.
