HumanKind Ministries talks about the new winter shelter

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)— The winter shelter at the former Park Elementary School is only weeks away from opening .

Construction is happening to modify it from a place for learning to housing . KSN speaks with HumanKind Ministries, the nonprofit set to operate the space, about the changes being made to the building.

The new winter shelter has some notable changes this year, even though the same partnership is running the operation. KSN spoke with HumanKind Ministries' President and CEO, Dawn Shepler.

Shepler says this 24/7 shelter is adopting a low-barrier approach, allowing adults with complex needs to get care and a safe space, with designated areas for shelter, medical providers and other needs. She told KSN the area in which this shelter will be created.

"We are focusing on creating that structure of how this shelter space will be used. We will be utilizing the south half or the newer addition of Park Elementary as the emergency winter shelter this year, including the gym," said Shepler.

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She said she has been in the building to assess what they need. Shepler also said there will be a provider meeting next week to see what providers want to offer their services to the shelter.

Shepler also told KSN that they have more than 200 beds, which will most likely be fully utilized. She added that the cost of running the shelter might be a bit more than last year because more people will be living there, and it will be open and accessible 24/7.

"There are going to be designated intake space and day rooms. There will be a male shelter area and a female shell shelter area. And then, we will have a flex space that we can use either for overflow of dayroom, space and or shelter space. So we're very lucky in the aspect that we're going to be able to have space to do both the dayroom and shelter space for this year's season," said Shepler.

Shepler stated that the HumanKind staff plans to get into the building next week to start setting up, but if construction goes long past Thanksgiving, they will plan to open by Dec. 2.

"Barring some currently unforeseen circumstance, this will be open on Thanksgiving," a city spokesperson told KSN.