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Walker Furniture gives ‘Help’ to homeless youths

Walker Furniture delivered a truckload of brand-new, custom-ordered furniture to HELP of Southern Nevada's Shannon West Homeless Youth Center as part of a volunteer refurbishment project.

About 800 volunteers lent their time and expertise on Oct. 3 to provide the center's homeless and at-risk boys and girls with clean, safe and comfortable living quarters.

The restoration project was spearheaded by The Crossing -- A Christian Church, located in the southeast valley. According to church member Darryl Richardson, the project drew support from a variety of community-based organizations and individuals who donated construction materials and labor to upgrade and expand the center.

"Along with the huge construction aspect of this project, we also needed beds, couches and other furnishings to accommodate current and future residents of Shannon West," said Richardson. "Walker Furniture came through for us in a big way -- asking what exactly we needed and providing more than we had ever anticipated receiving."

Volunteers worked in shifts through the weekend, taking on indoor and outdoor aspects of the restoration project, and helping to unload and place the beds, sofas, couches and other furnishings provided by Walker Furniture.

"This is just a wonderful gesture on the part of Walker Furniture and all of our supporters and volunteers," said Kelly Robson, program director for Shannon West. "It shows the children that along with the staff of Shannon West caring for them, the community truly cares as well."

"Shannon House provides an important service to our community and when they approached us to help, we were happy to do so," said Larry Alterwitz, president of Walker Furniture. "Throughout the year, we assist a variety of organizations and citizens in Southern Nevada and we're very happy to be part of this particular project. Having a comfortable living environment is crucial to helping at-risk boys and girls get on track toward independent living."

The Shannon West Homeless Youth Center, located at 1417 Las Vegas Blvd. N., motivates residents toward self-sufficiency through training to further their education, employment, social and life skills necessary to succeed as adults. By collaborating with various agencies, they have the resources to offer intensive case management, substance abuse counseling, mental health referrals, educational assessment, vocational training, and life skills groups focused on issues such as anger management, independent living, money management, peer socialization and health education.

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