By Paul Kasprzyk and Chris Koss
Bengal News Reporters
Beverly Newkirk had a vision telling her to start rebuilding the people so that a community could grow.
“So often we’re building a community but not the people in the community,” said Newkirk.
Newkirk plans to do just that by turning a former drug house on Normal Avenue into a residence and training center for young women who have to transition from difficult situations.
Newkirk is the head of It Takes A Village, which has partnered with Rev. Kenyatta Cobb Sr. and the Hananiah Lutheran Church to turn a former drug house into a shelter and training center for young women.
There are two buildings at 425 Normal Ave., which formerly housed drug operations. The front building will be used as a shelter and transition house while the back will be used for the training center.
I know that area very well, and just the fact of them going in and rehabbing that house, which is a former drug house is a great thing,” said Cobb.
Newkirk and Cobb are moving right into what Cobb called a hot zone. Cobb looks at it as the best way to send a message to the community that they are here to help.
Newkirk said that the girls who will be coming into the training center are from foster care and detention centers, girls who can’t go home or don’t want to go home.
“They need a safe place to go besides jail,” Newkirk said.
Kirk Laubenstein, legislative assistant to Niagara District Councilmember David Rivera said he supports Newkirk’s efforts. Laubenstein felt that people in the community know how to change the street and improve the street best.
“Politics can’t do it alone, spirituality or God can’t do it alone, and people can’t do it alone, put all three together, you’re getting closer,” Laubenstein said.
Laubenstein discusses collaborative efforts in the neighborhood:
This is a faith-based collaboration by Newkirk and Cobb focused on using this training center to administer spiritual guidance, educational training and career training.
“Spiritual guidance is going to help them find out who they are, and then give them a sense of believing,” Newkirk said.
Newkirk and Cobb said they don’t want to reinvent the wheel. They want to utilize the road that has already been paved. Newkirk plans to use GED programs that are already offered to help girls achieve an education.
“They (young women) would be set up to go out on their own, whether to college or finding a career path that they’re interested in, or being able to maintain a house, because all that will be included,” Newkirk said. “Teaching them financial counseling, teaching them spiritual counseling, which is first and foremost because without that you can’t do anything.”
Newkirk said she wants to make sure any young woman leaving the training center is ready and able to get from point A to point B.
“Standing on a corner is not purpose. Going to jail is not purpose,” Newkirk said. “We’re trying to teach them how to make the right decisions with the right qualities, and qualities of life.”
For now the house is still boarded up, but Newkirk hopes to start work on the house by the end of February or beginning of March, and plans to open the training center and shelter within the year. Newkirk has big plans for it.
“People need to know that they are worthy, I don’t care who they are. There is a purpose and plan for their life, and they need to know that,” said Newkirk.
