News
December 3, 2015Schenectady Damien Center Suffers Smoke, Water Damage from Fire
Early on Tuesday, November 24 the Schenectady Damien Center experienced a fire, which was responded to quickly by the Schenectady Fire Department. No one was in the building at the time. The building is in good shape, but has experienced smoke and water damage on all three floors. The fire was electrical and contained on the second floor.
The Center in Schenectady is now a satellite of the Albany Damien Center (ADC). Perry Junjulas of the ADC announced that the Schenectady Center will be closed from now through the month of December and will reopen in January. Members may call Barb at 518.449.7119 x108 or Lindsey at 518.449.7119 x111 and ADC staff will work to ensure members who use the Schenectady Damien Center have services as well as transportation to the Albany Damien Center during this time. SICM owns and maintains the facility.
We extend many thanks to the Schenectady Fire Department for their quick response, which saved the building from more extensive damage and prevented the fire from going through the roof. Updated information will be provided on our website at www.sicm.us and www.AlbanyDamienCenter.org as it becomes available.
“A number of people have approached us about how they can help,” said Rev. Phillip Grigsby of SICM. “We appreciate all the offers, prayers, and concerns. We just had the visit from the insurance adjuster. While we are pending the report I am certain there will be costs not met by the insurance. One of the major questions is how much of an electrical upgrade they will provide for. We had a fire at the same location due to electrical issues several years ago. Both of the situations were from improper upgrades way before we acquired the property. So we will be doing a careful assessment of what our appropriate next steps will be.”
The Schenectady Damien Center now operates as a satellite of the Albany Damien Center. If you want to assist them in any way during the interim time, please call them directly (518.449.7119) and ask for the ADC Executive Director, Perry Junjulas. If any would like to assist SICM financially with any unmet costs associated with restoring and making safe the building, please send donations to: SDC Fire Fund, c/o SICM, 1055 Wendell Avenue, Schenectady 12308. Please be sure to indicate it is for the ‘SDC Fire Fund.”
Schenectady Inner City Ministry (SICM) is a faith-based coalition of 50 congregations founded in 1967 for programs of joint social service and social justice. SICM is a non-sectarian organization. SICM runs a host of programs serving the wider Schenectady community, including the SICM Food Program and Food Pantry, the Schenectady Damien Center, Summer Youth Meals and Mobile Meals, Schenectady County Embraces Diversity, a summer youth camp with Camp Fowler, Food Security initiatives, and others.
For further information, contact Rev. Phillip Grigsby, Executive Director, at SICM, at 518.374.2683 or email revphil@sicm.us.
