Professionals volunteer to paint Gateway Center

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — More than a hundred professional painters volunteered to give The Gateway Center a fresh coat of paint Tuesday.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the Painting Contractors Association chose Albuquerque for its annual convention. Along with the convention, the group chooses a service project to work on beforehand.

“This is the equivalent of $400,000 dollars,” Keller said. “That is a huge donation to the city, and materials and labor, and over 1,200 painting hours.”

The volunteers worked on painting the new sleeping areas and the lobby.

“We’re looking at opening our medical respite center and our 24/7 emergency drop-off facility late spring,” Keller said. “Right now, we are using this as an emergency shelter during the cold months.”

The mayor said the donated paint job will help make the facility more inviting.

“This facility already helps about 300 people every day, so we’re moving from 300 to 500 this summer and hopefully 1,000 next winter,” Keller said.

Thank you to the 150 volunteers and the Paint It Forward team for joining our City to spruce up the Gateway Center which will serve as a place of hope and healing for so many members of our community. #OneAlbuquerque pic.twitter.com/nKh9jHATJ1

— Mayor Tim Keller (@MayorKeller) February 21, 2023