Kansas City homeless shelters gear up for more people as temperatures plunge down
READ MORE
Winter storm hits Kansas City
A winter storm hit Kansas City on Thursday, Dec. 22, bringing bitter cold temperatures, freezing drizzle and snow. Blizzard-like conditions are expected to make travel treacherous for a few days. Here’s the latest:
Expand All
Kansas City homeless shelters are gearing up to help out as many people as possible as freezing temperatures and potential snowfall roll in ahead of the holiday weekend.
Earlier this year, the Kansas City Council approved a plan to coordinate additional shelter space to add more than 150 shelter beds at five different shelters for people experiencing homelessness this winter.
Hope Faith, a day campus operating as a winter overnight shelter for the first time under Kansas City’s ZeroKC extreme weather plan, has 100 beds and can hold more people as temperatures drop and more people seek help, according to Doug Langner, the organization’s executive director.
“We’re an emergency warming center,” he said, “so even if we don’t have enough bed space, we’re going to make sure to do our best to keep as many people out of the cold as possible.”
On Monday, Langner said Hope Faith served 227 guests during the day, up by 45 people from last year. Since the overnight shelter opened Dec. 1, Langner said numbers have grown and most nights almost 100 people are staying at Hope Faith. As the weather gets colder, he expects that number to increase.
Hope Faith also said in a video posted on Twitter that it “desperately” needs coats, gloves and other winter gear ahead of the cold. The organization has an Amazon Wishlist with shelter needs. Physical donations can be brought to 705 Virginia Avenue from Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., and monetary donations can be made at hopefaith.org/donate.
Eric Burger, executive director of ShelterKC, said the organization has been operating under its life-threatening weather policies since mid-November, meaning the shelter offers 125 total spots, including 40 mats for people in alcohol and drug recovery programs. The policy also allows people who are intoxicated to stay at the shelter on frigid nights.
As temperatures dip, staff will check guests for possible symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia and educate them on warning signs. With the extreme cold, Burger said he expects more people coming into the shelter, giving staff the opportunity to connect with people who may not have come in earlier in the season.
The shelter is also hosting its third annual Christmas at the Crossroads on Dec. 23, where Burger said ShelterKC expects to give new winter boots as well as coats, sweatshirts, gloves and other winter gear to around 600 attendees.
Terry Megli, CEO of City Union Mission, said the shelter has prepared in the last six months for the winter by hiring more frontline staff, ordering more pajamas for guests, adding bathrooms and showers and using compact Murphy beds for overflow.
But even with those additions, staffing shortages limit the number of beds they can make available, even during extreme weather.
The shelter’s family center, which has an increased capacity of 95, has generally reached about 85% capacity. Officials expect that number to go up significantly after Dec. 26, as many people could be staying with family and friends ahead of the holiday.
Since the pandemic, Megli said staffing has become a major issue especially when it comes to hiring overnight workers. At the men’s center, he said City Union Mission has 250 beds but can only sleep 85 people to maintain an appropriate staff to guest ratio.
“It’s a safety issue for our guests and also our staff,” he said. “There’s a lot of needs that take place in the evening and overnight, needing supplies and can’t sleep and struggling to be in a communal environment. It requires a few people to help.”
But as temperatures nosedive to dangerously cold levels, there is help available for those who need it, including Kansas City and Wyandotte County overnight shelters and daytime warming centers for anyone in need. A list of locations can be found here.
The Public Works Department will also provide warming bus transportation through Tuesday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. with social workers available on board. And the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority will provide free transportation to and from shelter locations.
This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 5:00 PM.
