Archbishop celebrates senior apartment
opening in Warrenton
Archbishop of St. Louis Raymond L. Burke
joined a large crowd in celebrating the opening of St. Clare of
Assisi Senior Village in Warrenton with a special dedication
ceremony May 24, 2005. The 19-unit apartment complex opens the
first affordable housing project developed by Sts. Joachim and
Ann Care Service.
“Affordable housing is a great need in St.
Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties, and we are so appreciative
of the many partners who worked so long and diligently to make
this project a success. This stands as a testimony to our
mission to help those in crisis and prevent homelessness and
hunger,” said Mahan. She specifically noted the excellent work
of John Kainady and Nancy Conover, Care Service volunteers, who
administered the project from vision to completion.
In 2002, Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service
initiated the project shortly after learning about two elderly
homeless women found living homeless in a park. The 19-unit
handicapped-accessible apartment complex, located on Hwy U at
400 Village Drive in Warrenton, houses formerly homeless,
independent but very low-income adults, age 62 or older. In
addition, the village includes a community building where
residents can entertain their grandchildren, socialize with
their neighbors, and share in a multitude of other activities.
The total cost of the project totaled $1.7
million and was underwritten by the Department of Housing and
Urban Development. Missouri Housing Development Commission
contributed $58,000 from the Missouri Housing Trust Fund as part
of the development of the community center.
The Warrenton community and several other
organizations including the Booneslick Regional Planning
Commission and The Enterprise Foundation donated additional
funds for the village’s community center. The complex is
managed by Cardinal Ritter Institute.
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