A grant to help create a homeless women’s shelter in Carbon County is getting shifted from one organization to another.

On Thursday, the Carbon County commissioners approved moving the $163,922.13 Community Development Block Grant from Family Promise to Peaceful Knights to create an emergency women’s shelter.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich said there have been some “intraorganizational challenges” in Family Promise that has created delays in the creation of a women’s shelter, which Carbon County identified as a major need for the area.

He pointed out that it appeared that the shelter would not be able to be realized by the grant deadline.

“There’s a much higher probability that this reallocation will help us achieve the goal of having a single woman homeless shelter,” Lukasevich said.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said it was “extremely unfortunate for Family Promise” because they are having their struggles like many organizations.

Nothstein added that there have been a lot of obstacles in the way since Family Promise purchased the former St. Francis of Assisi church and rectory in Nesquehoning, including zoning issues and staff changes. Family Promise currently serves homeless families and was hoping to also expand to serve homeless women.

Peaceful Knights has also been in the process of creating a women’s shelter since purchasing two buildings on First Street in Lehighton in 2020.

The buildings, located at 131 and 133 N. First St. are a few doors down from the already established shelter for men.

The women’s shelter, which according to Peaceful Knights’ website, is partially open. It currently is operating as transitional living for women.

Once the shelter is fully complete, in additional to transitional housing, it will also include two apartments and an emergency shelter.

For more information on Peaceful Knights, visit www.peacefulknights.org.

For more information on Family Promise of Carbon County, visit www.familypromisecarboncounty.org.