Community Missions 24 hour shelter goes beyond just providing a place to stay

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The official launch of "My Brothers House", Community Missions' 24-hour shelter service, provides more than a place of rest for St. Joseph's homeless community.

"The main priority is their safety," Outreach Coordinator Charley Lundy said. "It will help having this to get people off the street."

The 24-hour service has been something that Community Missions has been aiming to get off the ground for a while. In past years, the shelter has been limited to providing food, water, a bed to sleep and counseling in the winter months.

News-Press NOW previously reported that Community Missions only had enough funding to operate for 50 days out of the year.

The organization received $50,000 from the City of St. Joseph for its operations but ended up spending $62,000 to keep running for the 50 days in 2024.

In March of 2025, Community Missions received $200,000 from Buchanan County and Mosaic Life Care to kickstart the 24-hour initiative.

Now, the 24-hour shelter serves as a relief to some visitors who stop by the shelter.

"I've been out on the streets," St. Joseph resident Christa Nolannd said. "As a woman, it's a big relief to know that we have an all-around-the-clock shelter. It's a feeling of security to have a place to stay, where it's safe. Sometimes women are preyed on a little more than a man. And it means a lot to me to have a safe place." 

News-Press NOW also previously reported that data showed a decrease in homeless numbers across Andrew, Buchanan and DeKalb counties in 2025 compared to 2024.

Statistics show that in 2025, 218 individuals were identified as homeless, with 155 being sheltered and 63 being unsheltered.

Tune in to News-Press NOW at 5 p.m. on Thursday to watch this Special Report.