Yesterday, we opened the Santa Fe Depot, located at 413 E 7th St., as an overflow shelter to help people once the Lawrence Community Shelter reaches capacity. The Santa Fe Depot can serve 40 people and guests do not need to be referred by LCS first. We will accept walk-ins at the Santa Fe Depot.

We’ll keep Santa Fe Depot open 24 hours through the end of this extremely cold weather and will need volunteer support to keep it staffed appropriately. If you’re able to volunteer, please sign up online through the United Way: https://bit.ly/47A7vmW. Both four-hour and eight-hour shifts are available. In addition to volunteers, the Santa Fe Depot will be staffed by City of Lawrence employees who typically work at Camp New Beginnings.

If you need help or know someone who needs help finding indoor shelter or getting transportation to indoor shelter, contact our staff for emergency assistance:

• Misty Bosch-Hastings available at (785) 760-1481
• Cicely Thornton available at (785) 813-9483

Additional emergency shelter options include:

• Lawrence Community Shelter continues to operate a winter emergency shelter nightly. LCS is able to accommodate pets for anyone seeking overnight shelter.
• Opening tonight, First United Methodist Church will operate the primary overflow shelter for the Lawrence Community Shelter. The volunteer-run emergency shelter will continue through January 20, 2024**, operating on nights when LCS reaches capacity. They can accommodate 25 people and will shelter LCS referrals only.
• The Bert Nash Homeless Outreach Team is providing hotel rooms for individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness who are unable to shelter at LCS. The hotel program is made possible through funding from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

The City will continue to share information about emergency shelter response throughout the coming days.

Media Contact: Cori Wallace, Director of Communications & Community Relations
City of Lawrence
785-764-8779
cwallace@lawrenceks.org

About the City of Lawrence   
The City of Lawrence supports an unmistakably vibrant community with innovative, equitable, transparent and responsible local government. Together, we are creating a community where everyone can enjoy life and feel at home.

 

 

**Please note: An earlier version of this release said the shelter at First United Methodist Church would run through December 20, 2024. That was incorrect. The shelter will operate through January 20, 2024, on nights when the Lawrence Community Shelter reaches capacity.