SALT LAKE CITY — A non-profit organization in Salt Lake City has acquired an apartment building, allowing it to expand its mission to help people who are dealing with homelessness, drug addiction and criminal behavior to turn their lives around.
On Thursday morning, "The Other Side Academy" held a ribbon cutting ceremony at its new property at 35 S 700 E. The academy helps people who are willing to make a two-year commitment to improving their lives, and, in some cases, is an alternative to incarceration.
"There's no cost to them. There's no government money paying for them to be there. They work in order to pay the bills for this program to exist. So, we have a moving company, we have the thrift store, we provide other services that generate revenue that help pay for the program," explained The Other Side Academy CEO Tim Stay.
The building, which is across the street from The Other Side Academy's original campus, allows the program's administrators to double the program's capacity by adding over 100 new beds.
“This is an exciting step allowing us to bring those with deeply broken lives out of jail and off the streets of Salt Lake City. At The Other Side Academy, they quickly become part of the solution rather than part of the problem. These 100+ beds will save not only the first 100 to join us, they will continue to save lives for decades to come," said Chairman Joseph Grenny in a statement sent to FOX 13.
