Dorchester Banner/Paul Clipper Lieutenant Aaron Abram of the Cambridge Salvation Army cuts the ribbon for the opening of the House of Hope in Cambridge. Holding the banner is Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley, Lt. Rebekah Abram, Senator-elect Addie Eckhardt, Allen Nelson.

CAMBRIDGE--Lieutenant Aaron Abram, Corps Officer of the Salvation Army, cut the ribbon for the House of Hope emergency homeless shelter on Monday. The House of Hope is open 365 days a year, starting this past Christmas Eve. The shelter is open from 7:00 p.m. til 7:00 a.m. and two meals are served during that time. Each individual leaves with a bagged lunch for the day. The Salvation Army works with area churches and organizations to provide meals.

The building originally opened in 1970 as a community center. Renovations started on the facility in June, from plans drawn by architects Crosby and Associates and the contractor was Hill-Kimmel Construction.

Funding for the project was obtained when the Salvation Army was awarded a Community Development Block Grant, with the help of the Dorchester County Council, with great assistance from grant administrator Ms. Cindy Smith. Lieutenant Abram said, “We also received large donations of assistance from the A.T. Blades Foundation, The Mid-Shore Community Foundation George B. Todd Fund, DeRue Hoffman and several anonymous donors.”

The men’s dorm room of the shelter is now open, and the facility is still awaiting some last minute items that will allow them to open up the Women’s and Family rooms, which they hope to have open within the first two weeks of January.

The renovations have taken the shelter from a nine beds to 26 beds, able to house 16 men, 6 women, and a family of four in their own separate room.

A large crowd of well-wishers were on hand for the ribbon cutting. ‘This is a great day,” opined Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley, “I’m so pleased with the way the renovations worked out, and am proud to have this facility open for the community.”

This newly renovated shelter, along with the Cold Weather Shelter at the Wesleyan Church, are the only shelters available in five southern Maryland counties.

The House of Hope is an emergency homeless shelter. An individual in need can stay for two weeks and during that time will work with a Salvation Army caseworker on securing employment and permanent housing.