Faith compels new facility for homeless in Cape

This story has been edited to correct the name of The Peaceful Place.

On any given night, the Rev. Renita Green says there are a dozen or so homeless men living on the streets in Cape Girardeau.

The Rev. Renita Green, pastor of St. James AME church, is making plans to open A Peaceful Place, an outreach ministry for homeless men in Cape Girardeau.Submitted photo

“When I say ‘on the street,’ I mean sometimes they tent, sometimes they sleep in bathrooms, some wedge themselves into boarded-up homes and some sleep in abandoned buildings,” she said. “They sleep under the bridge, under the overpass and in vehicles.”

She said she hopes a few months from now, some will also sleep at The Peaceful Place, a new outreach ministry Green is spearheading along with her church, St. James AME, and several community volunteers.

Located in a five-bedroom house near the intersection of Sprigg and William streets in Cape Girardeau, The Peaceful Place will provide permanent rental housing for about a half-dozen single homeless men age 50 and older “who need a little more grace and encouragement” than a typical renter, according to Green.

“It’s a perfect location,” she said and explained the house is in a commercial zone surrounded by multifamily housing. “There are no neighbors right next door, and apartment buildings across the street.”

Green said she hopes the house, which has been vacant for some time, can be renovated and in operation by either late this year or early next year, depending on when building supplies and contractor assistance can be arranged — hopefully at little or no cost.

“We know the foundation of the house is good, and we know the roof is good, but we know it will need some heating and cooling upgrades and it will likely need some plumbing upgrades as well,” she said.

Although it will provide housing for homeless men, Green said The Peaceful Place should not be confused with a homeless shelter.

“I don’t believe in homeless shelters,” she said. “What I believe is that everyone who wants a home should have a home and should be able to live with dignity in safe and sanitary conditions, especially in inclement weather.”

Green and her church established The People’s Shelter in 2018. Located in the church basement at 516 North St., the shelter provides emergency overnight housing for the homeless when temperatures are at or below 35 degrees.

But unlike a temporary shelter, Green said The Peaceful Place will be a long-term residence and an alternative to life on the streets.

“Residents will never have to leave unless they want to,” she said.

“My passion is to create a permanent living situation,” Green continued. “The men in our target demographic will probably not be successful living independently and street life is getting more and more difficult for them in terms of their health. They would never consent to living in a nursing home, and really they’re not even old enough for a nursing home, but they’re too old for the street. They’re going to die out there.”

Green said each homeless person she has met in Cape Girardeau has a unique story.

“Some have been on the streets for 10, 15 and even 25 years or longer,” she said. “They’ve gone in and out of homelessness, maybe in and out of jail and in and out of relationships. Some grew up here and some are from smaller communities and somehow made their way here.”

The exact number of homeless people in Cape Girardeau County can vary based on whether the homelessness is temporary or chronic. According to Melissa Stickel, executive director of Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri (formerly Community Caring Council), the last “census” count in February found there were 27 chronically homeless people living on the streets throughout the county.

Green said she is working with Community Partnership, United Way of Southeast Missouri and other agencies to develop the homeless housing project.

Rent at The Peaceful Place will be based on a sliding scale and the ability of tenants to pay.

As for paying for the house itself, Green said it is being acquired on a “lease-to-own” basis.

“I’m grateful that we have a property owner who says, ‘Yeah, I see the vision and I want to be a part of it’,” she said, adding she hopes to purchase an additional four-bedroom home to house additional single homeless men.

Where the money will come from to pay for the second house, as well as overall operating expenses for the program is another question.

“How will we fund it? I don’t know,” Green said. “First there was the vision, then we found a place and next we’ll figure out the funding. It will come. I know it doesn’t make business sense, but this is where my faith compels me. I believe this is God’s work, and we’re following God’s lead. There are resources there. We don’t know where they are, but they’ll come.”