Springfield street aid station moves locations

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Springfield street aid station has moved locations.

For the last four years, Car-Fi in Springfield has donated coats to those less fortunate, the enclosure was originally a gift from a family friend of the business.

The owner and his wife, the store’s former community outreach director, recently retired and decided to deliver their station to the Connecting Grounds.

Last winter, the Connecting Grounds helped the street aid station by keeping it stocked during the cold months with warm clothes.

You can find the station now sitting in front of the Connecting Grounds’ new outreach center on West Chestnut Expressway.

“For so long, the street aid station was the only thing available for resources after business hours, over the weekend,” Pastor Christie Love with Connecting Grounds said. “In Springfield, we do not currently have a 24/7 homeless outreach line or support. For some of those smaller items, it’s going to be nice to be able to say ‘if you’re in this area you can actually just stop by that’s right out front and you can grab what you need.’”

And on July 14, 2021, the center will work to stock the station for the summer with things like masks, rain ponchos, food bags, sunscreen and bug repellent.

Anyone can stop by to grab an essential item at any time.

You can donate to the Connecting Grounds Outreach Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon.

You can also drop donations off at Cosmic Fish and the Pagination Bookshop.