Wesley House Community Center has grand opening for new advocacy center.

The East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, city officials and Meridian residents gathered in celebration for the grand opening of the Wesley House Community Center.

The Wesley House Community Center was founded in 1907 and since then has offered spiritual services and has given back to those in need.

Today a new service for child advocacy service has been added to the list.

"We’ve been able to give offices to our expanded staff and to really expand and meet the demand for expanded services in the child advocacy center.”

David Schultz who serves as executive director for the Wesley House says what was once an empty space has now been put to good use.

“It was formally the medical clinic, and so we’ve been able to give offices to our expanded staff and to really meet the demand for expanded services in the child advocacy center.”

Schultz, the executive, also says without funding for a grant none of this would have been possible.

"We received a grant from the office from the office against interpersonal violence through the victims for children advocacy and, so with that funding, we’re able to do the remodeling, expand the space and meet more services.”

Schultz also says now that the advocacy center is opened in Meridian; it will be more of a convenience to those locally in need of the services.

"There are 11 child advocacy centers in Mississippi we’re located in Meridian; it’s an hour in half toward any other services and so with that distance just to be able to serve the demand that is here.”