Ribbon cutting celebrates new Barnabas facility

Barnabas Center Press Release

Submitted by Mary Pitcher

Barnabas Center’s Annual Meeting was held Monday, February 24, 2014, at 4 p.m. followed by a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. at their newly renovated facility located at 1303 Jasmine Street. On hand was Delores Barr Weaver, who officially deemed the building the “J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Center”. Tours of the new facility were provided.

Over the years Barnabas has expanded from its humble beginnings in St. Michael’s old school building to a small building on 11th Street where the food pantry, crisis services and administrative offices were housed. In 1995, Barnabas opened its “New To You” resale store which has grown to become a major funding source for the agency. To better serve the West side of the County, a satellite office was opened in Hilliard in 2001 with another in Callahan last year. In 2007 Barnabas began operating Medical and Dental Clinics out of a rented facility on South 14th Street .
“When the opportunity arose to purchase a facility that would house all the Barnabas programs under one roof, it was a blessing, especially when the facility was only one block away from our “New To You” resale store”, said Wanda Lanier, Barnabas Center Executive Director.

The building at 1303 Jasmine Street was purchased one year ago and renovations were recently completed. “The support for Barnabas’ expansion efforts has been tremendous. Our Capital Campaign goal was $1.25 million for the purchase and renovations, and we are pleased to report that we have just tipped the scale at $1 million in our capital campaign efforts”, relayed Jim Mayo, Chair of the agency’s “Building More Room For Compassion” campaign. “We couldn’t have accomplished this so quickly without the heartfelt support of our generous donors whom we wish to formally thank at our annual meeting.”

The pantry expansion allows Barnabas to carry fresh foods and provide a teaching kitchen for instructing people how to prepare healthy, nutritious foods on a budget. The expansion of the medical and dental services with newly formed partnerships now allows Barnabas to offer chronic disease management, mental health counseling, vision and hearing screening. The Crisis Assistance Service is committed to getting our neighbors back on their feet with short-term aid which includes financial assistance, emergency food, clothing, bicycles for job transportation and referrals to other community resources and assistance in applying for benefit programs.

“We have come a long way from our grass-roots beginning in 1986” said Wanda Lanier, Barnabas Center Executive Director. “Barnabas has become the comprehensive service center in Nassau County that helps our neighbors in crisis with a compassionate helping hand so they can become healthy, productive citizens, which strengthens our entire community.”

February 25, 2014 4:55 p.m.