KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hope Faith Ministries has expanded into a "Resource Village" to help not only people experiencing homelessness, but also low-income families.
The village now has the ability to test their guests. They recently received about 50 testing kits.
"We are testing only those showing symptoms," Hope Faith Ministries Executive Director Jaysen Van Sickle said Friday. "We have volunteers doctors and nurses on campus to help with other ailments."
First, their temperature is taken at station one. If they have a fever, they'll move to station two, where doctors and nurses will gather more information about why they're feeling sick. If they decide the person might be symptomatic of COVID-19, they are sent to station three, where they will be testing.
No one has needed a test yet.
Hope Faith expects to ramp up its medical assessments and testing.
"We need medical staff. Everyone here is here voluntarily," Van Sickle said.
Dr. Michael Coody is one of those volunteers on site. He also checks on people next door at the Rodeway Inn. The city set aside $80,000 so people experiencing homelessness could stay there for three days while waiting for their coronavirus test results.
Coody will put on full PPE: gloves, a full face mask, and a gown before checking on patients.
"Typically all these patients are coming from local hospitals," Coody said. "If they are not sick enough to be hospitalized, but if they don't have somewhere to go, we don't want them out on the street awaiting test results."
About 19 people have been in and out of the motel, but none have been positive.
Coody says most patients say they feel tightness in their chest and short of breath.
"We'll ask them about their signs and symptoms, follow up on how they're doing day-to-day, better or worse and examine as needed," Coody said.
Coody says he was compelled to help.
"It's more helpful to approach it as, 'Can I be helpful with my skills and talents?' rather than rights and privileges," he said. "If we're the best country around we should step up and take care of everyone."
