Possible solution to local emergency winter shelter will need $700,000 in funding

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The search for a winter shelter continues in Wichita as the threat of freezing temperatures creeps closer. City, county, and state reps are involved in the process. HumanKind Ministries joined Friday’s roundtable discussion after announcing opening their shelter at a smaller capacity.

A temporary solution was discussed today, but the plan fails to provide enough space, and it lacks the required funding. HumanKind found a city-owned building that can house 250 people, but that’s short of the 336 beds that are needed. The non-profit committed $200,000 to the project. However, $700,000 will be needed to see it through. 

 “We believe that sleeping outside is inhumane, and housing is a basic right,” said President and CEO of HumanKind Ministries, LaTasha St. Arnault. 

Finding the proper funding would allow HumanKind to open the new shelter every night until the end of March. The old shelter would only be used on freezing nights, deemed “Code Blue,” to attempt to meet the full need. 

“It’s just going to allow people to know exactly what site to go to. It’s going to allow us to serve them,” said St. Arnault.

State, county, and city leaders are searching for $500,000 to finance the shelter. 

“The bottom line is people’s lives are at stake, we understand that, and we’re not going to let that need go unfunded,” said Sedgwick County Commissioner Ryan Baty. 

The state representatives in the building were on board to help in the search. 

“It’s all about the money at the end of the day; it’s all about crunching those numbers, and everybody that was here today, we need to get together again,” said Kansas State Representative Oletha Faust-Goudeau. 

Leaders from today’s roundtable are meeting next week to decide if they can move forward with renting the additional space or if they can only open the old shelter. This would be the previous plan to host 100 men and 40 women at HumanKind’s old church downtown.