The City of Conway is fast approaching the opening of its first 24-hour emergency overnight shelter.
The city broke ground for the shelter in April, but it will not be fully operational until the spring of 2023.
Shawanna Rodgers, diversity and economic development coordinator for the city of Conway, said that since the first proposal, the projected deadline changed.
“When the city started this project in 2019, there was a different timeline projected. However, upon the actual construction of the project, we realized that we would have to adjust that timeline,” Rodgers said.
The shelter’s construction is coming along, and the 2023 spring date still stands, Rodgers said.
In a November Faulkner County Quorum Court meeting, multiple nonprofit organizations under the Toad Suck Homeless Coalition gathered to ask for emergency funding due to sudden cold conditions and increases in demand.
Laura King, chair of Toad Suck Homeless Coalition, said that the nonprofits she works for are strained.
“Normally we have a warming station that opens in the middle of December — that is not happening this year. We had all expected to have the city of Conway’s emergency shelter up and ready to go. Due to issues, and COVID, and supply chain issues, and the cost of goods — that has been delayed until probably the middle of this next year,” King said.
Although the initial date of completion was different, Rodgers said that all nonprofits have been notified of changes in deadlines.
“The shelter will be opening in the spring of 2023. We are also a part of the Toad Suck Coalition and have a great partnership with our nonprofit organizations and they are aware of the updated information,” Rodgers said.
Despite the increase in need and lack of an overnight shelter, the Toad Suck Homeless Coalition is currently enacting a program to house people.
“It is a sheltering program utilizing temporary motel stays on the coldest nights, when temperatures are below freezing or the weather is inclement,” King said.
The overnight shelter, when complete, will be able to house a maximum of 50 people.
The shelter’s daily operations will be run by the Community Action Program for Central Arkansas. CAPCA was chosen by the city to head the operation.
Jennifer Welter, executive director of CAPCA, said it was an honor and privilege to run the city’s first overnight shelter.
“As a community action agency, our goal has always been to work in collaboration with our community, not to duplicate services, but to work hand-in-hand with existing service providers and partners to refer and to fill gaps as we see the gaps,” Welter said. “So this shelter will do just that — falling in line with our mission and offering a one-stop shop to access programs, services, partners and aid in our coordinated entry efforts across the community.”
According to Conway’s operational plan for the shelter, it will provide “daytime programming including but not limited to; case management, financial aid for housed families in crisis, a food pantry, a housing assistance program to prevent families from becoming homeless and day center for homeless services.”
The housing will be dormitory style, separated into men’s and women’s with separate rooms for families.
Full-time security staff will be employed, according to the plan, and the shelter will not house sex offenders, violent felons on probation or parole, and persons with active warrants.
The shelter will be located at 1116 Gum Street.