Keystone Mission breaks goal during NEPA gives

WILKES-BARRE — Keystone Mission’s goal was to raise $10,000 during the recent NEPA Gives campaign. but they exceeded that goal, raising $14,600.

For the fourth year in a row, Keystone Mission took part in NEPA Gives — a 24-online giving event that’s all about giving back to the community.

Jillian Mirro, project manager for NEPA Gives at Keystone Mission, said the funding will primarily be used for transportation needs of guests and residents.

Mirro said whether it is medical, dental, and mental health appointments or traveling to a job interview, transportation is essential to connecting men and women facing homelessness to the proper resources and changing their lives.

“I am amazed at the response to our campaign for transportation,” Mirro said. “We are very fortunate to live in Northeast Pennsylvania, a place where people support the things that matter. Thank you to everyone who continues to assist the men and women experiencing homelessness.”

Mirro said Keystone Mission wants to recognize the generosity of the four local organizations that provided matching gifts: The Hawk Family Foundation, Cross Valley Federal Credit Union, Dustbusters Cleaning Team Inc., an anonymous donor, and Keystone Mission’s Board of Directors.

“Keystone Mission is grateful to the NEPA community that came together to aid in our mission of life transformation,” Mirro said.

Innovation Center

Justin Behrens, Keystone Mission’s executive director, said between the organization’s two locations, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, between 112 and 125 clients are being served daily.

“That’s an increase of 32% since 2022,” Behrens said. “And we saw an average of 495 different individuals in 2022. We’ve never seen numbers that high before.”

Behrens noted that Keystone Mission has seen positive outcomes with clients. He said 15% have returned to the workforce.

“Housing is the most difficult challenge,” Behrens said. “Rent is difficult to come up with for those with nothing to start out, but there are some programs available. CEO (Commission On Economic Opportunity) and United Neighborhoods are two organizations whose services we use to help our clients transition back to the community.”

Behrens said a lot of work remains to be done to help the homeless.

“It’s only getting worse,” he said. “Fortunately, Mayor George Brown in Wilkes-Barre and Mayor Paige Cognetti in Scranton have both been very supportive and proactive.”

Behrens was especially pleased to announce that a new Innovation Center will open within the next two months in the Thomas C. Thomas building at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Union Street in Wilkes-Barre.

“The entire downstairs will be utilized,” Behrens said. “The space is being renovated and when completed, families and individuals in need will be able to have breakfast, lunch and dinner there and they will also be able to get the resources they need to help them find a job, health care, housing and counseling.”

Behrens said the Keystone Mission long-term transformation center on Parkview Circle, off of Coal Street, will continue to house clients who are able to stay there 12 to 18 months as they seek to transition back in to the community.

The new Innovation Center will not have overnight accommodations, Behrens said, except in cases of emergency when people are displaced from their residence due to a fire or other circumstance.

Behrens said the goal of the Innovation Center will be to help the men and women served to develop the life skills needed to change their lives and get themselves off the streets.

“This will be done with the assistance of our trained staff and volunteers,” Behrens said. “The clients will work with our case workers, vocational specialists, and housing specialists to establish initial contact and relationship with the people we serve daily.”