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Community nonprofit WellBuilt Cities is working to reopen The Shop, a Tampa drop-in center for people experiencing homelessness. (WellBuilt Cities)<\/p>\nFor more than 30 years, The Shop was a daytime drop-in center offering hope to people experiencing homelessness. It came in the form of a hot shower, a steaming mug of strong coffee, or a parcel of laundered clothes. Located off Nebraska Avenue in Tampa, the center offered access to the internet, the ability to collect personal mail, and proximity to social services.<\/p>\n
The vibe was welcoming. This was a place to sit, recharge, connect, and find help.<\/p>\n
Now, the coffee mugs sit empty. The Shop recently closed because of federal funding cuts. Gracepoint Wellness, which operated The Shop up until its closure, has also merged with a behavioral health nonprofit to become IBIS Healthcare. The drop-in center\u2019s former visitors must rely on mobile shower outreach, which can be difficult to locate, and find respite and support elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Tampa nonprofit WellBuilt Cities is leading an\u00a0 effort to reopen The Shop. So far, a community fundraising campaign is about $100,000 short of the estimated yearly expenses for the 8,400 square-foot haven.<\/p>\n
Still, the plan is to re-open in November. Community support is still needed to reach the fundraising goal of $240,000, an amount that would cover the lease payment and various necessary elements such as insurance and utilities. It also allows The Shop to serve 200 or more visitors each week for a year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Community nonprofit WellBuilt Cities is working to reopen The Shop, a Tampa drop-in center for people experiencing homelessness. (WellBuilt Cities)<\/p>\n
Churches, nonprofits, agencies, and university partners have historically offered a robust outreach for those in need who visit The Shop, from mental and behavioral health services to affordable housing solutions to workforce readiness programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
During an open house on August 27, potential donors, community members, and media toured the location at 6220 N Nebraska Ave. Long-term plans involve a possible purchase of the building and extended services. Volunteers will be tapped to provide needed manpower.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to be able to say, \u2018This still exists,\u2019\u201d says WellBuilt Cities CEO Jon Dengler. \u201cThe Shop is an accepting and necessary space\u2014it\u2019s a needed neighborhood fixture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dengler has witnessed how transformative a place like The Shop can be. His organization once operated a similar drop-in center in Tampa Heights, The Well, and he describes volunteer and visitor experiences there as mutually beneficial.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople have a need for these interactions,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s so good for everyone involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first goal is to save The Shop. After that, it\u2019s to partner and scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dengler and his team plan to spend the rest of October refreshing the space. An Amazon wishlist is in the works for setup and operations items.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re leaning in as hard as we can to figure this out,\u201d Dengler says.\u00a0<\/p>\n