Springfield Business Journal_2021-01-25

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9 JAN 18-24, 2021 160 110 18K 20 $10M EMPLOYEES 2021 OPERATING BUDGET GRADUATES OF JOBS FOR LIFE KIDS FED DAILY COMMUNITY HUBS NONPROFITS Building Futures Life360 Community Services is rapidly expanding with the addition of affordable housing complexes by Christine Temple · ctemple@sbj.net With the opening of Y Gardens at the end of 2020, Life360 Community Services took a signifi- cant step forward in the nonprofit’s mission to em- power the people it serves. The 41-unit apartment complex near Ozarks Technical Community College was 100% leased within weeks by low-income families and individu- als, as well as youth aging out of the foster care sys- tem, said Resident Life Director Rachel Newkirk. “You take for granted just having a roof over your head,” Newkirk said. “For the youth that aged out of the foster care system, this is the first place they had to call home. … One lady was living in her car, and she waited out the application process to get in for her and her kids.” The $6.7 million complex was a yearslong project in collaboration with affordable housing developer Tammi Creason through Creason Developments LLC. It was funded through the Missouri Housing Development Commission, various city of Spring- field loans and a private loan through Arvest Bank, which has a branch next door. Life360 Community Services Executive Vice President Jeremy Hahn said housing is one tenet of the community services nonprofit. It already oper- ated single-family housing units across Springfield that offer shelter on a temporary basis, but at Y Gardens, residents take on their own leases. “Our partner agencies have been a great help with that collaboration of identifying young adults that would succeed and thrive in a place like this. They are ready for the step,” Hahn said. “It’s a great midpoint where you still have someone really helping you suc- ceed, but this is your lease. If we know a resident is starting to struggle with rent or breaking the rules, we can start to coach them and set them up for success.” That support comes in many forms, as the non- profit is involved in feeding programs, workforce development, and day care and preschool services. Hahn said the nonprofit also organizes courses on financial literacy, parenting and auto repair through its nonprofit and business partners. The goal? Build up its residents’ hard and soft skills, and help break cycles of poverty. “We grow up and we learn these skills along the way, but not everyone has that,” he said. With the partnership in place and the need for such developments, Creason said she is working with Life360 on another affordable housing project in Branson with plans to break ground this month. Roughly 30-40 townhomes with an estimated cost of $5.3 million are planned, with single-parent fami- lies as the target residents. The project also will have provided by Y GARDENS MCKENZIE ROBINSON AMANDA MILLER Life360 Community Services’ Rachel Newkirk and Jeremy Hahn say the Y Gardens apartment complex was 100% leased within weeks of opening. See LIFE360 on page 15 Life360 by the numbers