The VAC Opportunity Campus has been at nearly 90% capacity since it opened July 13, and almost everyone staying at the new homeless shelter is a Boone County resident, the shelter director said Friday.
“When you’re in human services, you never anticipate having the plan that’s actually going to be executed, but the opening was very smooth,” Jessica McNear told the Boone County Pachyderm Club.
McNear was invited to give an update on the first 53 days of the new complex on Business Loop 70. The Voluntary Action Center runs the integrated campus, which includes the Waypoint Shelter, the Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen and New Day Columbia’s day center.
One of the most unexpected data points has been the dramatic decrease in the amount of Narcan needed at the shelter, McNear said. Only two overdoses have been recorded during the past 53 days, whereas the previous shelter used Narcan five to seven times a week.
“We’ve had a lot of people commit to sobriety,” she said. “We have nightly AA and NA meetings that are run by guests already in the programs, so we’ve had a lot of people say, ‘With this move, I’m getting sober.’”
The mission of the Opportunity Campus is to provide low-barrier facilities with trauma-informed staff and a housing-first program. Providing shelter is the priority, before any other requirements like sobriety or employment are met, McNear said.
In the nearly two months since opening, the shelter has filled between 130 and 140 beds each night, she said. The year-round Waypoint Shelter holds 150 beds, with added space for pets.
Among the total number of people served at the shelter, 131 of 151 live in Boone County, most between the ages of 40 and 49, according to VAC data. At least 70% of guests meet with a case manager and develop a housing plan within 30 days of checking in.
With limited exceptions, the campus exclusively works with Boone County residents, McNear said. Out-of-town guests had been limited to a maximum three-day stay, but that was recently extended to 14 days after the First and Last Mile transportation service for the unhoused unexpectedly ended.
The vast majority of those from out of town are hospital discharges who would rather go home than stay in Boone County, McNear said. The only other exception for non-residents would be those fleeing domestic violence.
“We started out with a one-to-three-day stay if folks were coming from out of town, so that we could have time to help them find the next step or figure out what they’re needing,” McNear said. “We’re not just saying no and turning people back on the streets.”
The shelter is available for anyone 18 and older, allowing for ease of transition for those aging out of foster care.
Hygiene items, secure storage, mail services, phone and internet access, a computer lab, and referrals to case management, social services, housing, employment assistance and medical services are all provided through the New Day Center, aimed at getting people back on their feet.
The campus also serves daily breakfast through rotating volunteer groups, and the Loaves and Fishes community soup kitchen provides an evening meal seven days a week.
Those on campus have access to showers, laundry, restrooms and other services, including basic medical and veterinary care. The day center operates as a warming or cooling center, determined by weather, and harbors community connections, emphasizing keeping people safe.
During the day, adult literacy courses and other classes are offered and encouraged.
“We are not interested in putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds,” McNear said.
