Salvation Army opens Opportunity Center in Joplin

The Salvation Army Opportunity Center officially opened Tuesday September 22, in Joplin, giving people who are experiencing homelessness, poverty and other difficult circumstances a place to receive multiple community resources.

The center, located at the Salvation Army at 320 East 8th Street, grew from a 2023 community plan that identified the need for a “one-stop shop” where people could access several services in one location.

Layne Bourgeous, Director of Homelessness Response, said more than 21 organizations are working together through the community’s System of Care to make that idea a reality.

“We realized that there are so many people already doing the work, but they were doing it siloed or independent of each other,” Bourgeous said.

The Opportunity Center connects people with services including housing assistance, mental health screenings, Medicare and Medicaid enrollment, veteran services, recovery programs, healthcare, employment assistance and other community programs. Services such as haircuts are also available.

The Salvation Army already provides meals, showers, laundry facilities and shelter during extreme weather, making the building a familiar place for people who need help.

“We already have people coming here to eat,” Bourgeous said. “Let's just meet people where they are.”

Organizations will have rotating schedules at the center, allowing different providers to offer services throughout the month while working around their schedules.

The System of Care is also working on an app that would allow people experiencing homelessness to find local resources directly from their phones.

The Opportunity Center is open to people experiencing homelessness as well as anyone facing difficult circumstances and looking for support.

Bourgeous said the center is only the beginning of what the community hopes to accomplish.

“This is just the foundation,” Bourgeous said. “We as a community can do more. It’s just going to take, again, that coordinated approach.”

The center held its grand opening Tuesday with welcome remarks, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a tour and information about available services.