A PLACE TO CALL HOME

The mission of the Curtis Center is to give participants time, education, a sense of community, and the tools to change their lives in positive ways.

The Curtis Center offers supportive, transitional housing for 60 men who need help getting back on their feet and are looking to improve their lives.
The Curtis Center is a secure building with private, comfortable sleeping rooms. Each room has a refrigerator, a microwave and a sink and is wired for basic cable TV services. Other amenities include laundry facilities, three congregate meals, a community lounge, a library for reading or studying, two outdoor courtyards, and 24-hour staff. Reduced-rate memberships are available to a local recreational facility.

The Program

The Curtis Center is a structured program that focuses on four areas; each area includes classes, counseling, and services designed to promote emotional health and economic self-sufficiency. Our desire is to develop a mutually trusting relationship to help residents identify and achieve program goals.

Weekly casework and quarterly progress reviews are evaluated based on these four areas:

Recovery from Substance Abuse or Dependence

We take a proactive approach toward recovery by eliminating the recurrence of substance abuse and addiction. Residents work with our on-site drug & alcohol counselor, as well as caseworkers, to encourage personal accountability and to promote a sober environment for all residents and guests.

Vocations/Education

Through our on-site work program, Curtis Center residents are eligible for part-time, temporary employment at People’s City Mission. This enables them to create a work history. Because creating job stability is an important part of the program, residents who are unemployed or need additional income are also encouraged to attend a job seeking class.

Personal Growth and Development

Educational classes at the Curtis Center will address meeting practical needs and encourage personal growth. Community service is also part of the program requirements in order to promote responsibility, citizenship, and service in the local community.

Permanent Housing

Caseworkers work actively with each resident to prepare them for success while completing the program and transitioning to permanent housing.

Additional Services Available

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PCM’s Help Center (HC)

From the moment a resident enters the program to when he leaves, he is given complete access to our HC, which provides everything from clothes and personal care items to furniture and home goods at no cost. Upon completion of the program, residents are also given 100 pounds of food and everything needed to start a household.

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PCM’S Free Medical Clinic

Any resident who does not have medical benefits is given full access to our Free Medical Clinic. The clinic is located on the same campus as the Curtis Center and is staffed by established doctors, nurses, specialists and medical students from the area.

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Stats

In Lincoln, the homeless and near-homeless population includes people from all walks of life. In the most recent Point In Time count, designed to measure the extent of homlessness in the community on a single day, this was the face of homelessness in Lincoln:

694 people in 512 households were homeless
Nearly a fourth were children under the age of 18
10% were US Military Veterans
5% of the people were unsheltered
21% were vitcims of domestic violence
22% had a substance use disorder
18% had a serious mental illness

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Former Curtis Center Resident

“I moved into the Curtis Center and have been blessed. They have a lot of programs here to help… In the process, I’ve gotten my family back. Without this place, I don’t know where I’d be. I will never forget the Curtis Center.” – Richard, Curtis Center Resident, 2014-2015

Eric Matty

Director

Eric believes in lists, which is helpful as he oversees the day-to-day operations of the 60-room men’s transitional housing facility here at PCM. As Curtis Center Director, Eric helps the staff provide a safe community for men to get back on their feet, connecting them with needed resources, helping them overcome challenges, and holding them accountable as they set their goals to transition back into society.

When he’s not making lists, Eric enjoys running, cycling, reading and collecting classic literature. He’s proud to have quite a few different versions of his favorite book, ‘A Christmas Carol,’ by Charles Dickens. Eric’s heroes include Abraham Lincoln and Booker T. Washington. His greatest accomplishment is staying married to his wife, Danette, since 1987. He’s a US Air Force veteran, believe puns are the purest form of humor and has a mild case of OCD.

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SHELTER

110 Q Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
P: 402-475-1303
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FREE CLINIC

401 North 2nd Street
Lincoln, NE 68505
P: 402-817-0980
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HELP CENTER

6800 P Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
P: 402-475-6888
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