WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – HumanKind’s emergency winter shelter is in the process of being demolished.
KSN spoke with Dawn Shepler, CEO and President of HumanKind Ministries, who explained why the building is being torn down.
“The City and the fire department deemed it unsafe for people to stay in. The cost to repair it was not worth the cost of the building, and the building does not hold the capacity to serve the population needed for the emergency winter shelter,” said Shepler.
Last year, HumanKind was unable to use the building as their emergency winter shelter and had to temporarily operate out of a building on 21st Street.
“We had a little over 200 people staying one night at the [temporary] shelter, and [this] space only holds a capacity of 80 that was permitted by the fire department,” said Shepler.
HumanKind currently does not have any specific plans for the property.
“It will fit within the strategic plan that we have. We’re currently going to capital campaign focusing on transitional housing for family members to help them reintegrate back into permanent housing. So we’re hoping to put that facility somewhere within our campus area, and that may be the spot. We’re just not sure yet,” said Shepler.