Community Partnership of the Ozarks’ O’Reilly Center for Hope – a community hub focusing on improving the lives of individuals, families with children and veterans who need help to becoming housed and self-sufficient – is taking shape in the former Pepperdine Elementary School at 1518 E. Dale with plans to open this fall.
The O’Reilly family – Charlie and Mary Beth, David and Stacey, Larry and Anya and Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten – matched a $1 million loan from the City using U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) grant funds with a $1 million donation to make the center a reality. Additional grant funding includes $250,000 from The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, $100,000 from the Sunderland Foundation, $50,000 from the Timken Foundation, $20,000 from the BKD Foundation and individual donations.
CPO’s Springfield Affordable Housing Center, currently located at 300 E. Central, will relocate to the building, as will the organization’s One Door program and the Springfield Community Land Trust.
“This project will be a game changer for our community, establishing an expanded one-stop center for affordable housing, education and homeless prevention services. We will partner with local agencies to offer their services and provide resources and hope to the homeless and those looking for safe, affordable housing and financial stability,” said CPO President and CEO Janet Dankert.
CPO purchased the former elementary school building from Springfield Public Schools in 2018. Built in 1919, the building had been vacant for six years.
Partners who will provide services and resources on site at the O’Reilly Center for Hope will include:
- AIDS Project of the Ozarks: Health screenings and access to supportive services.
- Burrell Behavioral Health: Mental health and addiction services and support.
- Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri: HUD-certified financial and housing counseling.
- Consumer Credit Counseling Services: Credit repair and budgeting assistance.
- Greene County Family Support Division: Food stamps and Medicaid.
- Habitat for Humanity: Home ownership opportunities.
- Isabel’s House: Crisis nursery services.
- Legal Services of Southern Missouri: Legal assistance for low-income households.
- MSU Care: Medical services and Medicaid application assistance.
- Missouri State University School of Nursing: Wellness and wound care.
- Missouri Job Center: Employment and workforce development services and training.
- Missouri Works Assistance: TANF and employment assistance.
- OACAC: Basic needs support and educational programming.
- Springfield Community Land Trust: Affordable home ownership.
- Springfield Police Department: Safety and security.
- Veterans Administration: Health care for homeless veterans and veteran services.
- WIC: Supplemental nutrition for women, infants and children.
“We are expanding our housing services to better connect people with resources. We will continue the long history of community-centric learning, providing a one-stop center for resources regarding housing and financial education,” said Michelle Garand, CPO’s vice president of affordable housing and homeless prevention. “We strive to create collaboration in all that we do. To this end, the O’Reilly Center for Hope will bring together partner agencies to create a one-stop center to help individuals find and sustain housing that is safe, decent, affordable, and accessible. We will also offer financial counseling and ongoing financial literacy classes; in-service training on tenant rights and responsibilities and the Tools for Life program; and home buyer opportunities and educational information,” Garand added.
On-site resources
In addition, the O’Reilly Center for Hope will provide community access to critical resources on site, including:
- Computer and Internet access for job and housing searches.
- Resource guide services: Volunteer guides will assist each guest with connecting to on-site and community resources – food pantries, LIHEAP applications, Housing Authority applications, etc.
- Laundry and shower services
- Mail services – Providing a mailing address and access to mail on-site. This will be coordinated through a robust volunteer pool recruited by dedicated faith community partners.
- Hygiene and first aid supplies.
Training and education
A larger facility will allow the O’Reilly Center for Hope to offer a training center, which will be our hub for community engagement. We will provide free community education and training on-site, and as a magnet site for training and educational programming, we will incorporate state-of-the-art technology for the delivery of high-quality sight and sound, which will enable us to offer regular classes and workshops such as:
- Nutrition and Healthy Cooking
- Better Rental Living
- Basic Budgeting and Financial Literacy
- Homebuyer Education and Financial Coaching
- Employment and Workforce Development Skills
- Weatherization to Reduce Utility Costs
- Fair Housing Laws and Landlord/Tenant Education
- Housing Quality Standards
- How to Become a Section 8 Landlord
- Eviction Mitigation and Foreclosure Prevention
- Triple P Parenting
- Parent Cafes
- Starting a Small Business/How to be an Entrepreneur.
“The training center will have a designated place for child care, so parents who attend classes/trainings can bring their children without the additional burden of finding child care whenever possible. CPO also plans to include a commercial/demonstration kitchen to offer classes around nutrition and healthy cooking, to be used by guests who want to start their own small business, such as catering, and to be used for canning vegetables that come from the community garden we will develop in the property’s green space. Educational classes will be provided to the community free of charge,” Garand said.