AHH has expanded it’s service offerings to Douglas County with the Kairos Respite House!
Artists Helping the Homeless is excited to announce they have expanded their reach and impact to Douglas County. Officials in the county approached founder Kar Woo about replicating the Nonprofit’s Be the Change program, which started in Kansas City, in Lawrence. “I’m truly thankful to have this chance to prove what AHH does daily in Kansas City will work in other places,” Woo said. “The goal in Lawrence is to provide respite housing and support for men suffering from homelessness, mental illness, and addiction. Currently, there is a gap in services.”
AHH’s housing projects, including the Lawrence location that began operating in September, aim to give residents more time to regroup and find opportunities to thrive by offering free housing. The Lawrence respite home is aptly named for that goal. “Kairos” is a reference to the ancient Greek word, which means the right, critical or opportune moment. By providing more time for the residents to sort out their situations, it allows them to gradually assimilate back into society and makes sure their motivation to succeed is not wasted by forcing them to survive rather than thrive.
AHH is hoping to help the county begin filling the gaps in their service offerings and help keep people with behavioral health issues from repeatedly ending up in jail, which is a major issue for Douglas County’s overcrowded facility.
The Kairos House in Lawrence currently provides housing for up to eight residents at a time. Although eight people at a time may seem like a small number of people, it’s important for the organization to make sure the program works within its means before expanding further and positioning itself to help more people.
The Kairos House was recently featured in the Lawrence Journal-World: https://www2.ljworld.com/news/general-news/2020/jan/01/lawrence-respite-housing-project-aims-to-help-local-homeless-men-get-back-on-their-feet/?fbclid=IwAR05rkab6u9OmUcoTA0DaOKIJwsfcAOIbfiRx7nU5mBaoHyOVQ78EJTKJLw
