LAURINBURG — The Cannon Foundation has awarded the Restoring Hope Center Inc. $104,880 to address the need for temporary emergency housing.

“We are deeply humbled by this gift and cannot express what it means to have others believe in our vision as much as we do and to be willing to support us in such a huge way,” said Tamara Sessoms of the center.

This gift will be used to complete a much-needed emergency housing shelter and a commercial kitchen. The shelter will provide temporary housing for those needing “a warm, safe place to stay while they get back on their feet,” according to Sessoms.

Vocational classes, computer classes, financial management and budget training, Adult Education classes and interview skills training are just a few of the opportunities that will be offered to the residents during their stay. The commercial kitchen will be used for group meals by the residents and will, in the future, serve as the kitchen for the next phase of the center’s plan, which is an after-school program.

“Our construction crew is ready to complete this project, and we are excited to see this aspect of the overall vision of Pastors Kenneth and Joyce Blease and Ms. Mildred Sessoms come to fruition,” Sessoms said. “We never fail to remember that their dream of the hungry being fed, the broken being healed, and the hopeless having hope again is why we exist. Pastor Kenneth Blease and Ms. Mildred are no longer with us, but we know they are proud that the vision is being carried on by Pastora Joyce Blease and our current senior pastors, Tim and Kim Hodge.”

“We know this dream would have died long ago without so many’s dedication, determination, and hard work,” Sessoms added. “Thank you, Pastor Faye Coates and your fantastic team for keeping this vision alive! Thank you to our church family at Northview Harvest Ministries for your continued support.

“While all of these folks are essential to all that has been done and will be done, we recognize that we can only fulfill this dream through the generosity and kindness of donors like The Cannon Foundation. To you, we say, thank you for believing in our dream.”