Salina Grace Community Resource Center’s New Location Offers Vital Support to Salina Residents
Community Invited to Explore New Facility and Services at Open House Event
In a significant step towards bolstering community support services, the Salina Grace Community Resource Center is set to open its doors at a new location on April 1, 2024, at 315 S. Broadway Blvd. in Salina, Kansas. To celebrate this milestone, the center will host an open house on Thursday, March 28th, from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Members of the community are invited to explore the facility and learn about the array of services that are offered.
The Community Resource Center opened in January of 2022 at 142 S. 7th St. in downtown Salina. This pilot project was launched in response to many ongoing discussions with police, human service agencies, and interested members of the community who were concerned about how to help those in need in our community. The idea was to have a single location where an individual in need of help could go and begin receiving immediate assistance with the help of a community navigator.
While Salina has many resources in our community, they are spread out across town, and many individuals do not understand which services are provided by which organizations. The Community Resource Center’s goals are to remove the barriers of transportation limitations and a lack of knowledge about the types of assistance provided in the community while advocating for those who have trouble advocating for themselves.
In its first two years of operation, the Community Resource Center has positively impacted the lives of over 800 individuals in our community by providing the following services:
Community Navigator - This service helps individuals get connected to the organizations best suited to help them with their specific situation.
Coordination of Care – Many individuals require assistance from multiple organizations to address various challenges such as housing instability, mental health issues, substance abuse, lack of identification, and food insecurity. The resource center’s coordination of care supports individuals by facilitating collaboration among various agencies.
Day Shelter – A safe space offering a respite from the elements and access to essential services for both the homeless and those in housing who are seeking community interaction.
Hot, nutritious lunches are provided by Christ Cathedral’s Welcome Table with the support of a few other local churches.
The new location will allow services to be streamlined to ensure that individuals receive comprehensive support to address their diverse needs. Through a collaborative effort, the center will house service providers such as Central Kansas Mental Health Center (CKMHC) which offers essential mental health support to individuals.
Additionally, People In Need (P.I.N.) will be moving into the new center. P.I.N. offers payee services to help individuals manage their finances effectively. P.I.N. works with people who are on fixed incomes such as Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and Social Security Income (SSI). Their financial management services help individuals allocate their funds appropriately to pay for expenses such as rent, utilities, and food as a homelessness prevention measure enabling individuals to retain housing.
The establishment of the Salina Grace Community Resource Center has been made possible through the generous support of funding partners including, Salina Regional Health Center, The Earl Bane Foundation, Greater Salina Community Foundation, the City of Salina, Saline County, Trinity United Methodist Church, Sunrise Presbyterian Church, Dane Hansen Community Grant Fund, YW Legacy Fund, and numerous members of the community. Their contributions reflect a shared commitment to enhancing the well-being of Salina’s residents and ensuring that no one is left behind.
It is also important for the community to know that private donations are vital to helping meet the ongoing operational costs required to deliver these valuable services. Support can be given through the organization’s website, salinagrace.org.
As the center prepares to open its doors at the new location, organizers are eager to welcome community members to the open house event. This event will be an opportunity for individuals to learn more about the services available, meet the dedicated staff and volunteers, and experience firsthand the positive impact the Salina Grace Community Resource Center will continue to make within the community.