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Before 2026 ends, the Saving Grace Shelter temporary homeless shelter on the corner of Grace and Campbell streets will be owned and operated by Next Step Ministries of Williamsport Inc., formerly known as Code Blue.
The shelter is currently owned by the American Rescue Workers (ARW), which has operated it since 2011.
According to information from ARW, the sales agreement between the two non-profits "represents an important step forward for both organizations, allowing each to
sharpen its focus on its core mission while strengthening services available to individuals
experiencing homelessness in the greater Williamsport community."
For the American Rescue Workers, the transition will provide an opportunity to renew its focus
on the Fresh Start Program, its year-long residential work therapy program for men, which is designed to provide participants with the structure, accountability, employment
experience, life skills, and support necessary to work toward long-term stability and
independence, the news release stated.
The decision reflects the desire of the American Rescue Workers Executive
Director to ensure the organization’s programs and resources are closely aligned with its mission and areas of greatest impact.
"This agreement allows two organizations that care deeply about our community to focus on
what each does best," said Ben Hazen, ARW's executive director.
"For American Rescue Workers, that means renewing our focus on the transformational,
long-term work of the Fresh Start Program. Our goal is not simply to address an immediate need, but to help men build the skills, stability, and foundation necessary to make lasting changes in their lives," Hazen added.
For Next Step Ministries, the acquisition represents an opportunity to significantly expand its
shelter services. Next Step Ministries has provided temporary, seasonal shelter to individuals
experiencing homelessness. The acquisition of Saving Grace will allow the organization to
advance that work by developing a full-time, year-round emergency shelter, providing greater
continuity and availability of services throughout the year.
"We’re going to build very much on what we’ve done since 2018 with the Code Blue shelter at First Church," said John Best, who with his wife, Sue, are directors of Next Step Ministries.
"We will have overnight accommodations, and then daytime hours where service agencies can come in. Our goal, as our name implies, is to take somebody that’s at a certain stage of life and take them to their next step. And you know, that could be as simple as getting them to dry their boots so they don’t get frostbite in the winter, or it could be finding housing," Best said.
"We will bring in service agencies like STEP and West Branch Drug and Alcohol, the Joiner Board for Mental Health, the Veterans Group from Lock Haven, as well as we intend to do classes on financial management, or hygiene, or cooking, or you know life skills kind of things.
So we really are going to try to be a pretty comprehensive ministry. and you know, bottom line, our purpose is to bring people to Jesus," he added.
During the three months that Code Blue was open this past year, they had an average of 30 people seeking shelter. With the move to a year-round model, the Bests are anticipating that number will expand.
"With the Saving Grace facility we will be able to expand our shelter capacity on
a year-round basis and provide more ongoing support and services to help our guests take the
next step on their life journey," Best said.
Hazen commented on the Next Step MInistries acquisition of the shelter.
"Next Step Ministries has demonstrated a genuine commitment to meeting the immediate needs
of people experiencing homelessness," said Hazen.
"Their desire to expand from seasonal shelter services to a year-round operation makes them a natural organization to carry this work forward," he added.
The agreement is intended to create a stronger continuum of services within the community.
Next Step Ministries will be positioned to concentrate on immediate and emergency shelter
needs, while American Rescue Workers will focus more intentionally on long-term
residential programming, work therapy, and personal development through the Fresh Start
Program.
Leaders from both organizations believe the transition will ultimately provide greater
clarity, sustainability, and effectiveness in addressing homelessness in the Williamsport area.
"This is about aligning resources with mission," Hazen added. "Our organizations share a
concern for people who are struggling, but we serve that need in different and complementary
ways. By allowing each organization to concentrate on its strengths, we believe our entire
community will be better served."
Although the Bests indicated that there might be some renovations at the shelter when Next Step Ministries takes it over, it will still remain a place for men, women and families who are experiencing homelessness to find a place to stay.
"We’re very much formative at this point. We run exclusively with volunteers, although we anticipate we’ll probably have a paid staff member or two in this. Too early to really know that at this point, but we’re going to be all volunteer run, and you know hopefully can make a very positive impact on the community and those that find themselves in a homeless situation," Best said.
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