July 27, 2023 – A recent informational meeting hosted by Eden Village of Excelsior Springs sparked both interest and curiosity among attendees as a panel presented an overview of the organization’s ambitious project to provide “tiny homes” for chronically homeless individuals. While the session shed light on the innovative initiative, it also left some attendees with a list of questions yet to be fully addressed.
Eden Village, a non-profit organization known for its efforts to combat homelessness in the cities of Springfield, MO, and Wilmington, NC, is working diligently to establish a community of tiny homes that will offer stable housing and support services for the chronically homeless population in Excelsior Springs. The project’s vision revolves around creating a holistic living environment where residents can rebuild their lives and regain their sense of dignity.
After a brief video overview of the project, the meeting commenced with a heartfelt introduction from Eden Village’s Chief Visionary Officer, Nate Schlueter, who passionately spoke about the organization’s history and achievements in different locations. He emphasized the success of their unique approach, which combines affordable, small-scale housing with on-site support services tailored to each resident’s individual needs.
Other panelists for the evening included Alfredo Palacol, Executive Director of Lotus Care House of Kansas City, Kelly Anderson, the board president of Eden Village of Excelsior Springs, and Jennifer Chappel, a case worker at the Good Samaritan Center for the past 18 years. Each of them shared insightful details about the preliminary plans for Eden Village of Excelsior Springs, outlining the village’s layout, amenities, and proximity to essential facilities, which generated initial enthusiasm among attendees for the potential positive impact on the community.
One of the core pillars of the Eden Village model is providing stable shelter to individuals facing challenging conditions that may be beyond their control. This approach is designed to break the cycle of homelessness and enable residents to address other life challenges more effectively. However, during the question and answer session, some community members expressed concerns about the proposed project.
One point of discussion during the meeting revolved around the selection process for potential residents and whether the project might inadvertently attract more homeless individuals to the community. Anderson clarified that Eden Village intends to work closely with local homeless service providers, including the Good Samaritan Center, to identify individuals who would benefit most from the program.
According to the Eden Village website, residents of the program must be an adult from the local community who qualifies as chronically homeless (homeless in the community for at least 1 year) and has a physical or mental disability. This specific focus on serving chronically homeless individuals with disabilities demonstrates the organization’s commitment to addressing the needs of the most vulnerable members of the community.
The organization’s selection process involves a thorough interview and background check, prioritizing candidates based on their fit within the community. Applicants who meet the three key requirements—chronic homelessness, local residency, and a physical/mental disability—may be considered for placement at Eden Village.
Regarding the duration of stay, Eden Village is designed to be a permanent housing solution, allowing residents to live at the village as long as they are good neighbors to the rest of the community. This approach offers much-needed stability for individuals facing mental health, physical health, or other extenuating circumstances.
In addition to the tiny homes, Eden Villages provide an extensive range of on-site amenities offered to foster a sense of community and empowerment. The community center, a focal point of each village, offers a large gathering area, a fully equipped kitchen, a laundry room, a health clinic, computers, and book and video libraries. Additionally, the center hosts various classes, activities, and events, all of which are available to residents free of charge. The presence of a community garden, woodworking shop, neighborhood store, outdoor grills, and storm shelter further enriches the living experience for residents.
While Eden Village’s presentation highlighted success stories from their other projects, there were limited details on the long-term sustainability of the Excelsior Springs initiative. Concerns were raised about potential funding challenges, as well as the organization’s plan to maintain ongoing support services for residents beyond the initial implementation phase.
Some attendees questioned the amount of funding required as well as the number of individuals needed to staff such an endeavor. Schlueter mentioned early in the meeting that the total cost for a village is approximately three and a half million dollars, and the project operates on a low staff, high volunteer model with strong community support. Volunteers play a crucial role in assisting with various aspects of the village’s operations, providing valuable assistance, and contributing to the sense of community that Eden Village aims to foster. “Typically we run 600 volunteers a month,” Schlueter said and indicated that some months they have as many as 1200 volunteers.
It was pointed out that the other existing villages are located in larger communities with populations where volunteers are more readily available. Both Springfield and Wilmington have populations of over 150,000 and have multiple colleges and universities which can provide a young eager volunteer base. Schlueter said that the Excelsior Springs village would be a scaled version of the model and could draw on areas outside of the community for volunteers. Anderson said that both William Jewell and Park University may be viable options for seeking volunteers.
In general, the informational meeting about Eden Village of Excelsior Springs appeared to be in its early stages, serving as an opportunity for representatives to gauge the community’s interest in the project. It was revealed that at this time there has been a total of $53,000 raised for the project and as of now, there has not been a location selected.
Eden Village certainly presents a promising vision to tackle chronic homelessness with a novel and compassionate approach. However, many questions will need to be answered before it can move forward as a viable project. Without a doubt, community members and stakeholders eagerly await additional opportunities to interact with Eden Village representatives and gain clarity on various aspects of the proposed project.
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