Kansas City’s low-barrier warming shelter Hope Faith preps for harsh winter

Front door of Hope Faith’s main office. // Photo by Shawn Stewart

One of the key components of Kansas City’s “Zero KC” campaign—the campaign to end functional homelessness—is the low-barrier warming shelter at Hope Faith Ministries. The goal is to ensure everyone in the metro seeking safety, warmth and rest has low-barrier options.

Despite the institution’s name, Hope Faith places no moral barriers (sexual orientation, faith, freedom from addiction) on its lodgers. Anyone without shelter has access to their services and is not compelled to attend their religious services.

Warmth and survival are obviously the primary goal, but this year’s leadership will try to help people end their houseless cycles. Hope Faith Executive Director Doug Langer says.

“This year, the shelter will be much more diligent at providing guidance for housing solutions, help with medical care, help with mental health care, and/or people who might want a more extended recovery program and can be referred to partnering shelters.”

The shelter opens on December 1st and will remain open until February 29th. They will be open nightly from 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.

Langer elaborated that they would “also have sturdier cots, more substantial blankets, and other enhancements” beyond expanding the nighttime meals to be heartier offerings than previous years’ offerings.

Hope Faith’s commitment to better services of sustenance, is seen as a crucial welfare need, particularly at this point in time for the metro. “Currently, a HUD report said that Kansas City is the worst in the nation in housing the chronically homeless, meaning people who have been on the streets for a while,” Langer says. “As a community, we have to ask whether we want that statistic to remain the same, get worse, or if we will do something about it. The ‘Zero KC’ plan, worked on by many community leaders and professionals in houseless solutions, gives us an excellent roadmap to improve this situation in our city.”

At present, Kansas City has a request-for-proposal created for a year-round low barrier (no pray-to-stay restrictions) shelter. Not everyone is behind it though. Langer says he’s heard concerns ranging from the shelter encouraging an influx of houseless people towards this part of the city, ranging to the fringe poltical talking points around how welfare programs somehow encourage people to avoid work.

“The real face of being houseless is men and women who have lost a job, their rent got way too high, or a medical issue made them decide on their health or their rent,” Langer says. “These challenges people are facing is why we are working towards solutions. The guests that we serve are the same as you or I.”

If you would like to assist Hope Faith in their efforts to help the city reach zero functional homelessness, the shelter relies on volunteer labor. Additionally, cash and clothing donations are always welcome.