Catholic Community Services Breaks Ground on New Community Home

The Northeast Salem home will join CCS' first Community Home for Children which opened in Keizer in 1998, as well as two homes in Salem, and one in Woodburn.

Community members join major supporter, Richard Kreitzberg [fourth from the left] and CCS Executive Director, Jim Seymour [fourth from the right] in the ground breaking ceremony for the new CCS Community Home.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Catholic Community Services has broken ground on the Highland neighborhood Community Home for Children, and plans to open the doors to the two-story home in June.

Bishop Kenneth Steiner of the Archdiocese of Portland turned over a shovelful of dirt at the groundbreaking ceremony along with Salem City Councilor Kate Tartar, former Marion County Commissioner Mike Ryan, Philanthropist Richard Kreitzberg, CCS Board Chair Mike Hansen, and CCS Foundation Board Chair Mike Rohwer.

Construction will begin this month on the 2,700-square foot home. When completed, the house will be home to five youth and two foster parents.

Funding for the $300,000 facility came from The Richard and Joanna Kreitzberg Fund, under the umbrella of the Salem Foundation, and the Meyer Memorial Trust.

Community Homes for Children provide stable, nurturing neighborhood homes and a family for children in long-term foster care. Statistics show that up to 15 percent of children in foster care live out their childhood without a home to call their own.

"The homes allow children to put down roots and to experience being part of the community," said Jim Seymour, director of Catholic Community Services.

The Northeast Salem home will join CCS' first Community Home for Children which opened in Keizer in 1998, as well as two homes in Salem, and one in Woodburn.