A new shelter that will cater to homeless women and their children promises to be the first of its kind in the state. Carol Simms-Davis is director of the new Hope Family Center in Des Moines, which she says will offer a combination of services and amenities like no other place in Iowa. Single moms will be able to come in and get an education, while Simms-Davis says all of the food, shelter and a lot of the basic items are taken care of as well. She says it’s an opportunity for education and spiritual growth. Simms-Davis says it’ll be one woman and one child per bedroom while there are 24 bedrooms with the capacity to serve 48 individuals. She says she’s already getting calls from people from out of state and she expects the facility to reach capacity very quickly. The Hope Family Center holds its open house this week and plans to start taking residents next month. It’s a non-denominational facility, affiliated with several Des Moines-area churches.
