The day center, which serves people without housing, first opened in 2009. At the time, the Strasser family donated the property on East Washington Street to the IRC. It came with a stipulation: if the nonprofit continued operating for 15 years, it would receive ownership of the building.
IRC Program Director Briana McDuffie says that last month, the promise was fulfilled.
"I think us reaching that mark means there's a recognition that we're fighting more than ever to address the needs of persons that are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, especially in a time when the numbers are growing," she says.
McDuffie says ownership allows the IRC to grow and respond more boldly to the people it serves.