Area agency opts out of ARCH

A local non-profit organization has opted to not pursue its plans to start a child care center aimed at assisting low-income and homeless families as part of redevelopment of the U.S. Navy School on Prince Avenue.

The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens - an organization whose board I served on for four years - voted to withdraw from the proposed Athens Resource Center for the Homeless earlier this month. The five non-profits who comprise ARCH are slated to receive $7.9 million to acquire land and build facilities to house a comprehensive center that will offer various supportive services to homeless individuals and families.

Laurie Wilburn Bailey, the executive director of Advantage Behavorial Health Systems and a member of the ARCH steering committee, confirmed IHN's pullout to me.

According to Wilburn Bailey ...

That is correct, IHN has opted to withdraw, and it is unfortunate. However we plan to continue with the daycare center as a part of the project. There are several ideas regarding who might operate it, including ARCH itself. However right now a final decision has not been made. It is such a vital component of the project, that we are all committed to assuring it becomes a reality.

It's good to see the remaining agencies are willing to move forward with the original vision, though, having worked with IHN and the other agencies during the development of the proposal, I am disappointed the organization decided to no longer participate with ARCH.

The child care proposal was one of the central components of the original proposal for the site's re-use, and the vision put forward by the collaborative group was hailed as one of the most innovative concepts in the nation.