SAN ANTONIO – Roy Maas Youth Alternatives has built a new updated emergency children’s shelter for kids pulled from abusive homes who feel terrified, lost and alone.
Abused children can now settle in and feel safe and comfortable. The shelter has 10 bedrooms with two beds per room, and children in need can start moving in as soon as Monday.
Decades ago, Joe Macumba lived at the Bridge Children’s Shelter.
“We're not sleeping on the floor. We're not sleeping on cardboard,” he said.
The shelter was the first to give him a bed and a safe place.
“Before they moved us away, terminated the rights, there were 43 reports of abuse. We're talking about malnourishment, dehydration. We had lice in our hair. We had cuts. The physical abuse is so hard to describe,” Macumba said.
The shelter was a safe haven that Macumba said saved his life. He went to the opening of the new $1.5 million facility.
“They're going to give you somewhere you can hang your clothes up. You got drawers, nice bed, the rooms, the walls, the nice drawings. You have a pin board there, a pillow. This is much better,” Macumba said.
The new facility has two common rooms, a calming room for children who are stressed and an impressive kitchen.
Macumba’s excitement elevated as he reconnected with staff members who took care of him when he was at the shelter.
The majority of the children at the shelter are abused like Macumba. But the staff members take in homeless and runaway children too — ages 5-17. The children get 24/7 help, counseling and medical care for up to 90 days.
The old center will become a drop-in facility for trafficking victims.
