Immerse Arkansas celebrated the opening of The Station, its $3.5 million youth shelter, on Thursday with a ribbon cutting ceremony with hundreds of attendees, including local officials and law enforcement.
Located near Asher Avenue in Little Rock, The Station will begin serving young people Sept. 4. The shelter is available to individuals 18 to 24, who are homeless, at-risk or who need a place to stay for a night, Eric Gilmore, executive director of Immerse Arkansas, a faith-based nonprofit, said.
The Arkansas Times covered The Station while it was under construction for the July issue of the magazine.
From the July issue:
“Located on Mary Street off of Asher Avenue in Little Rock, The Station cost $3.5 million to construct and includes 15 suites with private bathrooms, a shared kitchen and dining space, an outdoor recreation area, and office and therapy spaces.
The Station won’t be the first shelter for former foster youth, but Gilmore says it will be unique in that it provides every resident with their own room.
‘If you don’t feel safe, you can’t heal, you can’t grow. So that was our number one priority, is something that feels safe, feels secure, feels like it’s got a sense of protection,” Gilmore said. “With that in mind, we set it up so that every young person has their own bedroom and bathroom.”
A common area, which Gilmore referred to as the “living hallway,” connects the 15 suites. Combining the use of natural light and artful lighting fixtures to create a space that feels both modern and welcoming, the living hallway will serve as a place for people to interact and work together.”
Once The Station is open, young people can stay for about 60-90 days. In that time, residents will work with life coaches and therapists to start the healing process, find stable long-term housing and make a plan for the future, which looks different for every person depending on their situation and experiences.
“The goal is to do 24/7 admissions,” Gilmore said. “These are crisis situations, so [we] want to be able to meet that need.”
Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Ward 1 City Director Virgil Miller and Pulaski County Sheriff Eric Higgins attended Thursday’s ceremony.
Immerse Arkansas currently operates resource and support centers in Little Rock and Conway, where people, who are mostly unhoused, can get meals, do their laundry or take a shower. Immerse provides life coaches and therapists to help individuals get back on their feet and plan their next steps in life, whether that’s finishing school or finding stable employment.
During the ceremony, a woman staying in other housing provided by Immerse spoke about her experiences with the non-profit, including considering the termination of an unplanned pregnancy before Caring Hearts Pregnancy Center convinced her to go to Immerse for assistance instead.