For a young person who is aging out of foster care — perhaps leaving a group home — moving into a first apartment can be a scary, lonely endeavor.

With that in mind, a new apartment complex opened this week to serve as an "intermediate step" for young people who are about to age out of foster care.

The Leonard Apartments is a program of the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch and is located at 422 W. Norton Road, next to the Ranch's Footsteps Transitional Living group home that houses about 20 boys ages 16 to 18.

While living at Footsteps, they are completing high school, getting jobs, learning how to budget and cook. They still have significant staff and treatment programs.

Now, youths who leave Footsteps can get a taste of independent living at the Leonard Apartments without being far from support. The complex will also house girls coming out of the Ranch's Laura’s Home transitional living group home in Willard.

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Leonard Apartments has eight one-bedroom apartments with community laundry facilities.

Youths can live there three to six months and can come and go as they please. On the opposite side of the building, there are offices, training and therapy rooms for other Good Samaritan Boys Ranch programs.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house were held Wednesday morning, where donors Gary and Bridgette Leonard were thanked for their support.

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Additional funding for the project came from YOP tax credits and other local donors.

Good Samaritan Boys Ranch President and CEO Casey Wray explained that the rent the young people are expected to "gradually" pay will go into a savings account for them so they have a nest egg when it comes time to move out on their own.

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"We purposely did not connect (the offices) to the apartment building," Wray said. "We want it to function as an apartment, with separate entrances to provide a more realistic experience."

"Our mission is to provide a safe and caring environment for at-risk youth to grow and mature, becoming positive members of the community," a news release said. "Leonard Apartments are the final step for youth, who have been abused and/or neglected to total independence."

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