Lotus Care House is a Housing Navigation Center in Kansas City, Missouri, addressing homelessness. It functions to provide shelter and support. Its core mission is to guide individuals experiencing homelessness toward stable, permanent housing solutions. This is achieved through a “housing first” philosophy, emphasizing the provision of immediate shelter as a foundational step.
Core Services
Lotus Care House provides transitional housing in a converted hotel, offering guests a private room during their stay. This setup offers immediate relief from street homelessness, creating a safe and stable environment. Alongside housing, the center delivers a range of supportive services to foster self-sufficiency. These include case management, personalized counseling, and access to medical care.
The organization collaborates with various community partners to offer specialized assistance. Partnerships exist with groups like Save, Inc., which provides support for individuals with HIV and AIDS, and Care Beyond The Boulevard, a mobile medical clinic. Lotus Care House also focuses on housing-focused skills development and connects individuals with resources. A unique service includes medical respite care, providing a safe space for individuals to recover from injuries or surgeries. Additionally, the facility maintains a pet-friendly policy.
Who Lotus Care House Helps
Lotus Care House primarily serves individuals experiencing homelessness within the Kansas City metropolitan area. Community outreach workers, in collaboration with the Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness, identify and assess individuals, prioritizing those most in need for housing programs.
The center operates with a low-barrier approach, meaning it addresses needs that traditional shelters might not accommodate. This includes assisting individuals grappling with substance abuse or mental health issues without requiring immediate sobriety. It also welcomes couples, a policy often not found in other shelters, and can support those with specific health needs that prevent them from accessing limited conventional services.
Their Approach to Support
Lotus Care House employs a “housing first” model, which prioritizes placing individuals into stable housing as the initial step in addressing their circumstances. This contrasts with traditional approaches that often require addressing other issues, such as substance abuse, before housing is secured. The philosophy behind this model is that once basic shelter is provided, individuals are better equipped to engage with other supportive services.
The organization maintains a low-barrier entry system, intentionally removing common obstacles found in many shelters like strict sobriety requirements or prohibitions against couples. This approach acknowledges the complex realities faced by individuals experiencing homelessness and aims to meet them where they are. Each guest receives an individualized housing plan, tailored to their specific needs and circumstances, with the goal of guiding them toward permanent housing. Lotus Care House also fosters community integration and collaborates with numerous partners to provide a comprehensive range of mental health and recovery-oriented services.
Connecting with Lotus Care House
Individuals seeking assistance from Lotus Care House typically connect through community outreach workers. For general inquiries or further information, Lotus Care House can be reached via email at [email protected]. Their physical address is 5100 E Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64128.
For those interested in supporting the organization, monetary donations are a direct way to contribute to their mission. While specific volunteer opportunities may vary, the organization emphasizes the importance of partnerships in its operational model. Potential volunteers or organizations looking to collaborate can inquire through the provided contact methods.