In September, Mended Reeds opened its doors to teen-aged boys, and Monday, it will open its door to the public.

The home for boys, located at 803 Vernon St., will have an open house ceremony from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday. During the open house, the staff will give tours of the restored 1890 Queen Anne-style home, and explain the operation of the group home/shelter.

"They attend public schools, they're from this area and they work in local businesses," David Lambert, director, said. "Really, they're not different from any other children."

Mended Reeds has a capacity for 12 boys, and 10 boys from the area have been living in the house since its opening. The organization is faith-based, non-profit and licensed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Because there were few shelter homes for boys in Southeastern Ohio and none in Lawrence County, Mended Reeds director David Lambert said the home was needed. The project, which cost approximately $140,000 received half of its funds from community donations and the other half from a matching grant from the Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone.

Mended Reeds operates as an independent living center, focusing upon education, employment and preparation for an independent adult life without the support of family or public assistance, Lambert said. The home provides more structure than foster care because the boys are supervised by a professional staff. Bedtime is 9:30 p.m. on school nights, and they must be working toward employment and in an educational program. The boys also help maintain the home by preparing meals and doing chores.

Boys who live in the home have been referred by the Department of Job and Family Services, Lambert said. The home is presently licensed to accept boys age 12 to 20. Currently, the boys living in the home are 14-18. The home is also licensed to provide adoptions and foster care.

All boys are in local public schools, and almost all are employed at local businesses, Lambert said. The center works to develop educational and social skills with the younger boys so they are ready for employment when they can have a job. Those boys may also do lawn maintenance work.

The difference between the Lawrence County Juvenile Foster Home and Mended Reeds, Lambert said, is that the children at the county home are in the juvenile court system. The children at Mended Reeds have either not been in trouble at all or have already been through rehabilitation.

"The proposed home is a unique and valuable compliment to other youth services in our community," case manager Tyrone Baskin stated in a press release. "The home provides the necessary base for independent living programs, enabling boys to prepare themselves for a career and adult life. … These elements are critical for foster children without family support."