Letter to the Editor: Assets in city’s northwest awaiting TLC

Dear editor,

As someone who works for an organization on the city’s north side and as someone who has lived in this area in the past, I am very interested in learning more or even helping others learn more how we all can help those in need in our area.

I work for the Missouri Council of the Blind Thrift Store at 2713 N. Kansas Expressway, and over the past few years, we have noticed an upward trend in the homeless population in our area. The north and west sides of the city seem to have experienced further decline over the past decade and especially since the Great Recession that began in 2008. This decline has led to an increase in poverty in this part of the city that has impacted a variety of individuals, groups, businesses, organizations and government entities.

At our thrift store, we have become accustomed to homeless individuals asking for assistance every day, whether it be clothing, food or money. To that end, while the purpose of our thrift store is to provide funding for those who are blind in Missouri, we also recognize the needs of those in our front and back yards. We work hard to assist those in need through our comprehensive voucher programs and by working with nearly a dozen groups, such as the Northside Betterment Association, John B. Hughes Apartment Complex, Community Alternative Sentencing Program of Springfield, Missouri Career Center and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program, as well as local churches, schools and clothing banks. Because we are strongly invested in this area, we feel obligated to help in any way possible.

Many managers and business owners have expressed concern that if the homeless population continues to rise, their bottom lines may be affected, if not already. Honestly, I feel that the solution is not to move the homeless away from this area, but to work together as a community to find or create viable programs that can help those in poverty. It will take us all – individually and organizationally – in our churches, schools, businesses and city offices to make this happen.

This part of our city already has a plethora of infrastructure in place – such as the rail, the Springfield-Branson National Airport, Interstate 44 and the Route 66 corridor – to convince investment from the business community to occur here. I-44 is highly underutilized along the city’s north side and could be a beacon for future growth that could help bring much needed jobs and other infrastructure upgrades/additions that could provide some relief to this area. We also should work together on such programs as cleanup days, neighborhood watches and volunteering that specifically cater to this area. Adding parks and other places to play and relax also will be needed. If we all work together, this will lessen the load for each participating partner while also generating a sense of pride and leadership in our area. I do understand that the city has been growing south over the past few decades, however, I have always felt the city’s north and west sides are in the most favorable position for growth, future jobs and increased investment. Let’s make it happen together!

—Jeff La Montia, Missouri Council of the Blind Thrift Store