KCMO Cold Weather Update - Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness

KCMO Cold Weather Update

Written by GKCCEH

Published January 13, 2022

With below-freezing temperatures becoming the norm on both sides of the city, we’ve been urging the Kansas City, Missouri side to post warming centers and updated bed counts to lead individuals experiencing homelessness out of the cold.

In the last week, there has been progress made on the front of the KCMO cold weather plan. With one solution being getting as many homeless individuals into shelters as possible, our partners at KC Pet Project are playing a large role in doing so.

When you think of homeless shelters, your next thought is definitely not pet shelters. However, if you keep up with our blog, you know that oftentimes a homeless person’s family is their pet and without a solution for their pet in/around the shelter they have an opportunity to stay warm in, they cannot go.

KC Pet Project and The Homeless Community

Late last week, KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division responded to a call that they received regarding two camps with people who are homeless and their pets living there. The camps were relocated this week. The question arose: How can KCPP help the pets living there?

The team visited the camps and met with the owners to see how they could help. Since the temperature was in the 20’s, the team took dog sweaters and coats, as well as food, toys, and other supplies.

When they asked the pet owners what their pets need, the resounding answer was vaccines. The next day, Animal Services officers visited the camps again, this time with veterinary staff, and provided vaccinations, microchips, dewormer, flea/heartworm medication, and city licenses to all of the pets there (including Roxy, Buddha and more).

The Pet Support Team also provided some information on other resources, including places they could go with their pets. Now that the pets have their rabies vaccine and city licenses, the pet owners have more options available to them to take their pets to stay warm during the winter months.

KCMO Shelter Bed Availability

Thanks to KC Pet Project, many of the homeless people in those camps will be able to seek out the open beds at the shelters listed in this link because of the organization’s dedication to temporarily fostering pets and reuniting them with their owners when they are moved into a more permanent housing solution.

The link should be updated by 12:30PM each day.

Personal Secured Storage for Homeless KCMO Individuals

Our team has been working with city officials in Kansas City, Missouri to coordinate personal secured storage for all homeless individuals moved out of camps and into warming centers or shelters. More information on this initiative is to come.

KCMO Emergency Cold Weather Centers

Last but certainly not least, Kansas City, Missouri has posted locations for homeless individuals to stay warm across the metro. They open when daytime highs dip below 32° or when the overnight low is less than 20°.