KARDENT, The Salvation Army, and its partners focus on housing, healthcare, and helping the homeless get back their independence.
Anaheim California is known for Disneyland, its sports teams and as one of the largest cities in Orange County. It’s now the tenth most populous city in California. What may be lesser-known outside of the area, is the growing epidemic of people experiencing homelessness. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), homelessness in the U.S. spiked in recent years, reaching epidemic levels, with western states exhibiting the highest per capita rates.
Despite these dire circumstances, the message is of hope, with a clear intention of the Orange County community to not only provide basic needs like housing and facilities, but also training, healthcare and support to get people back on their feet. In this article, you will learn about The Salvation Army of Orange County’s ambitious project, Center of Hope, and how partners like KARDENT are helping shape a new reality for those in need.
Center of Hope: Designed to Make an Impact
The Center of Hope project started in the summer of 2018, after the City of Anaheim declared a state of emergency in support of residents who need shelter.
Giving Back to the Community
KARDENT loves to work with the community for the greater good and continues to take on community housing projects as needs arise.
Completed:
- Atlantic Bridge Community
- Center of Hope
- Emergency COVID Response Site
In Planning Phase:
- Salvation Army Hospitality House
- Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services Tiny Homes
Located at 1401 S Salvation Place, Anaheim, CA 92805, Center of Hope combines a 325-bed emergency shelter with 72 permanent supportive housing apartments. The complex also provides a Center for Applied Research and Innovation building offering medical and dental care, as well as job training and an inspirational meditation garden.
The emergency shelter was completed in January 2019 after an amazing turnaround of 75 construction days from start to finish. This impressive timeline was achieved thanks to the teamwork and leadership of the City of Anaheim, The Salvation Army and KARDENT, as well as engineering and construction partners.
Center of Hope is a long-term project, expected to be completed in phases by summer 2025, that promises to provide not only the necessities, but also beauty, in a state-of-the-art complex on 10 acres. The tranquil outdoor areas are being designed to assist people in the transformation to their new lives.
According to the Center of Hope OC’s website: The Center of Hope will be the operational hub of the Homeless Throughput System, which provides essential care, support, and services through a pathway of empowerment that will guide residents toward a new life of physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and the joy and dignity of true personal autonomy.
“The Center of Hope will undoubtedly be one of Orange County’s most beautiful and impactful architectural works,” excerpt from centerofhopeoc.com. View renderings of the complex on The Salvation Army of Orange County’s YouTube channel.
The KARDENT Difference
The experience people have with their surroundings and the beauty it provides brings peace, a sense of pride, community belonging and hope. As a long-standing client of KARDENT, The Salvation Army of Orange County recognizes this important element in the success of its programs. “Everyone deserves to be surrounded by a peaceful setting that provides nature and beauty,” says Jodi Reese, President and Chief Creative Officer, KARDENT. “Our work with The Salvation Army of Orange County over the years has constantly inspired and challenged us to provide design elements that reflect the mission and budget, while providing a pleasing aesthetic.”
KARDENT’s contribution, as the design team for the Center of Hope, is directly related to closely understanding the client’s current needs and their passion to help others. The KARDENT team typically spends time donating efforts, in addition to working as a vendor on contract.
The KARDENT team offers creative ways to accomplish design solutions based on challenging and complex programmatic needs, while still making it special. Working with The Salvation Army for more than a decade now, KARDENT applies a synergy to the projects. “We have instances where sometimes up-front costs may be more, but long-term it’s of high value and will end up saving money,” says Pedro Blanco, Sr. Architectural Designer – Director, KARDENT. The team works hard to ensure the ideal outcome, thinking of the long-term strategy and mission-vision-goals.
To learn more about the project, visit www.centerofhopeoc.com. Follow KARDENT on LinkedIn and Instagram for design industry topics and more stories like this via our blog on www.kardentdesign.com.