WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Today was the deadline for organizations that want to run Wichita’s winter shelter to submit their proposals.
The city expects it to open at the old Park Elementary School in less than eight weeks.
KSN doesn’t know when the city will decide who gets the contract to run the shelter. With the city planning to open the shelter around Thanksgiving, city leaders and homeless advocates are hopeful about the progress.
“This is the first time in several decades that this community has come together in the aspects of state, county and city government, private business leaders, providers in the community and the community members,” says Dawn Shepler, President & CEO of HumanKind Ministries.
HumanKind wants to help turn the old Park Elementary School into a place of hope for the un-housed this winter.
“HumanKind did submit a proposal to operate the emergency winter shelter,” said Shepler.
Wichita City Council Member Mike Hoheisel would only say the city has received at least one proposal to run the shelter for more than 250 people. With the target date to open at the end of November, there’s a lot of work yet to be done.