Hope Faith Ministries began operating outside Wednesday as part of a community effort with different organizations to make sure the homeless community is safe amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
One man in Kansas City's homeless community already has tested positive.
WHO NEED IT.TODAY TWOORGANIZATIONS SHAREDHOW THEY ARE REACHINGA POPULATION -- WHODOESN'T HAVE EVERYDAYACCESS TO BASIC NEEDS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER SARAH PLAKESHARES THEIR MISSION.Sarah Plake / Reporting)Today is the first day hopeFaith Ministries is operatingoutdoors, and this is acommunity effort with a lot oforganizations to make surethe homeless community issafe.Okay you are all three good,thank you..Shifting to emergencyoperations happened soonerthan Hope Faith Ministriesthought.What we were forecasting for30 days out is now happeningon day one.
Families, seniorcitizens, things like that arecoming to us for communityresources so now we'rehaving to evolve into a greaterneed..Hope Faith has become a hubwhere multiple agencies areworking to serve more people.They're taking in large fooddonations every day, anddistributing food out to othergroupsThey can still get mail, theycan still get a shower, still doall the things that they need todo... that way the socialdistancing, the staff can dowhat they do but more of anopen air environment.Veterans Community Projectshifted its outreach services toHope Faith, but are stillaccepting donations at theircommunity center near 89th &troost .It's really important to operateas one cohesive unit becauseit's the only way we're goingactually get through this.It was never "if" someone theyserve got coronavirus, it's"when" -- and that's alreadyhappened.A man known in the homelesscommunity recently testedpositive but left the hospital.Outreach groups want tolocate him to offer help.A homeless individual out onthe street, they're going tointeract with a lot of people, alot of things, and we know sofar that coronavirus lingers.
Soit's really really important tofind them and quarantine themas fast as possible.These organizations areworking right now on phasetwo, in case more people theyserve get sick.We're working with differentpartners to try to set up amobile testing center as wespeak and then working withother agencies to figure outhow much space they have forquarantining.Sarah Plake 41 action news.
Here is the latest from local officials on what you need to know.
