About 50 members of the Soldiers of the Cross on Saturday gutted the interior of the former Interfaith Ministries building, using sledgehammers, saws and other tools to tear down walls, fixtures and duct work.
But the destruction by the Modesto-based Christian motorcycle ministry was for a good cause.
It makes way for the Modesto Gospel Mission’s $3.4 million expansion of its transitional living program for women and women with children. The mission bought the building in fall 2023 and the interior of the former food pantry will be rebuilt into Hannah’s House, the new home of the transitional living program.
Moving the program from the mission’s main campus across the street to the former Interfaith Ministries building will let the mission increase the number of program beds from about two dozen to about 60, mission Executive Director Jason Conway said.
He said the relocation also lets the mission increase the number of emergency shelters beds for women and women with children on its main campus from 40 to 80.