Reliable Enterprises announces grand opening of apartments serving students facing homelessness in Centralia School District

Nov. 27—Reliable Enterprises, the Centralia School District (CSD) and community partners last week announced the upcoming grand opening of the Reliable Homes II apartment complex in Centralia, housing aimed at serving students with families experiencing homelessness.

The grand opening event will be held at 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at Reliable Enterprises and via a webcast on Facebook and reliableenterprises.org. The event will celebrate the finished construction of 23 units of housing for families and children.

Described by Reliable Enterprises as an "innovative pilot program," it was facilitated by Reliable, CSD, and community partners and it "will create a lasting impact for CSD students experiencing homelessness," according to a news release.

"This unique housing program will improve the lives of students and encourage families to invest in their child's continued academic success," said James Bowers, homeless administrator for the Centralia School District. "The school district is thrilled to be a part of this partnership that will benefit the health and security of families and transform their future."

The program was made possible through a $8 million grant from the Housing Trust Fund and the Washington Department of Commerce. According to the news release, the project utilized Reliable Enterprises' experience in building affordable housing to help families in the school district become stable so that they can invest in their children's future success.

"Together we can build an environment where children and families feel secure, empowered to invest in themselves, and create a lasting impact in our community," said Erin Hillier, who was recently hired as executive director for Reliable Enterprises.

"We are thankful for our numerous community partners including the Centralia School District, Lewis County Health and Human Services, the City of Centralia, the Salvation Army, business community and various organizations and church groups who have donated their time and energy to see this partnership to fruition," Reliable Enterprises stated in the release.

Reliable Enterprises is located at 203 W. Reynolds Ave., Centralia.

To learn more about the organization, visit https://reliableenterprises.org/.