By Kylie Cameron/The Wichita Eagle
Wrap-around services at the low-barrier homeless shelter in the former Park Elementary building will begin early next year.
Those services are part of the second phase of construction at Second Light, formerly known as the Multi-Agency Center. Shelter beds, the first phase, opened late last year as the city’s emergency winter shelter.
“The services our homeless neighbors so desperately need were at times difficult to find, let alone access. Mental health, that direction, substance abuse, that direction, domestic violence support that way, housing back this way, and so on,” Second Light board member Kent Miracle said, pointing in different directions.
“When you’re on the street, you’re not living, you’re surviving. So getting to an appointment somewhere, at some time, is the farthest thing from your mind. What is on your mind? Survival, one moment at a time.”
Services available at the shelter beginning next year include food, medical care, mental health care, substance misuse support, housing support, and other services for those who are homeless.
“The community goal we are working towards is reaching functional zero for homelessness,” board chair Steven Dixon said. “Second Light is just a part of a much larger community based effort towards reaching that goal.”
The third, and final, phase of construction on the former elementary school building at 1025 N. Main includes a combined 75 beds for non-congregate and permanent supportive housing.
A timeline for that phase is yet to be finalized.
A 501(c)(3) was set up to operate the shelter during and after construction. The nonprofit is set to announce its executive director by late summer.
The city of Wichita budgeted $6.3 million for renovations at the shelter, much of that through American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Another $5 million was also provided by the city to go towards operations for the next two years.
This article was republished here with the permission of: The Wichita Eagle