A faith-based group home for men is in the works in Iola.
City Council members approved a request from Angela Johnson, director of the Pregnancy and Family Center, to convert the annex of the defunct Trinity Methodist Church at 220 S. Kentucky St. into The Shepherd’s Post.
Former Sunday School classrooms are in the midst of being converted into bedrooms, Johnson said.
Once complete, the home will house up to nine men dealing with issues such as drug addiction and getting back on their feet.
The Shepherd’s Post will be another ministry offered through the pregnancy center, Johnson said, noting PFC already offers jail ministries for women and men.
Council approval was necessary because the building is zoned as R2, or multi-family, use. But a facility housing more than five unrelated people requires a special use permit as a group residential property.
Code enforcement officer Gregg Hutton noted the special use permit has been endorsed by the Iola Planning Commission. Additionally, none of the neighboring property owners have spoken against such a facility.
“I thank you all for taking on this project,” Councilman Jon Wells said. “It’s sad that it’s needed in our community, but these are great projects. I’m glad a community group is taking this on and addressing a need we clearly have.”
A committee is working up policies and procedures for the facility, Johnson said, which should be ready for its first occupants by late October or early November.
“It’s gonna be men coming off the streets from jails, Drug Court, Oxford Housing, anybody seeking faith-based housing.”
Johnson said the facility will have six pastors and others to help with mentoring programs, church services, crisis management exercises, etc.
“It’s 100% faith-based,” Johnson said. “The intention is to help men become spiritual leaders’ disciples in the community to be stable and independent.”
Occupants will have strict rules to remain in the facility, from obeying curfews, abstaining from illegal activities, and with no women allowed, aside from family activities on the weekend.
The home will be funded by the occupants, who will have to pay a weekly rent check, which means they’ll need to be gainfully employed.
That, in turn, means The Shepherd’s Post will rely on volunteers to help with transportation because many of the occupants will likely not have a valid driver’s license, much less a reliable vehicle.
Bruce Symes, who has worked with the Pregnancy Center’s jails ministry, noted many inmates getting out of jail often have no safe place to call home once they’re back in society.
