Hope Campus facing financial stress, reduces staff and services

The Hope Campus in Fort Smith, which provides temporary housing and support services to homeless people, is in “rough” financial shape, is implementing staff cuts and possibly a “serious reduction in overall services,” according to Executive Director Kasey Wilson.

The operation, which has 24 employees, may have to cut up to five jobs and pull back to serving only lunch and dinner, Wilson told Talk Business & Politics. Employees, board members and supporters are using social media and other venues to encourage public donations, which can be made at this link.

The Fort Smith facility, located at 301 S. E St., and its programs began as an idea in 2009 from the the Homelessness Task Force and City of Fort Smith to address homelessness in the region. From 2013-16, the Old Fort Homeless Coalition received $1.1 million in federal and private money to purchase and help renovate the structure that would become the Hope Campus.

The facility includes a dormitory, men’s and women’s showers, kitchen, cafeteria, barber shop, laundry room, library, community room, classroom, dog kennel, and a medical clinic provided by Mercy Fort Smith. When the campus opened in 2017, it was hoped all homeless services in the city would move with it and consolidate funding and services. But Next Step, located at 123 N. Sixth St., and the Salvation Army, located at 301 N. Sixth St., refused to support the coordinated effort.

Wilson said a switch in the state agency providing key grant funds resulted in the operation losing about seven months of funding. Wilson said the operation, which provides a wide array of services to about 135 people daily during summer months, lost about $120,000 because of the switch.

Also, donations are down almost 50%, from around $16,000 a month to around $8,500 a month, Wilson said. He said one donor that provided around $10,000 a month reduced the amount to $5,000 a month.

The needs are significant, according to Wilson. The campus had 47,051 “heads in beds” in 2024, above the 34,441 in 2020. The campus served more than 138,000 meals in 2024, also above the more than 118,000 in 2020.

But Wilson said the numbers also point to successes. So far in 2025, more than 60 people were able to gain employment because of transitional services provided by Hope Campus, and 64 people “transitioned out successfully” from needing Hope Campus services. Also, between January and June 2025, the campus served 54,000 meals, which is below the trend of more than 138,000 meals in 2024.

“That’s some data that shows we are getting somewhere, that we’re reducing that need,” Wilson said. “And we have many of those (success stories), of people who just need (a case manager) to help them with documents and maybe get a job and get out of the situation that brought them here.”

Wilson said he is communicating with Fort Smith and Sebastian County officials about funding needs. For example, Wilson said the facility has a $3,500 a month — around $42,000 a year — water bill, and it would be “a major help” if the city waived the fee. Wilson said he understands the objection from those who say the city shouldn’t help a nonprofit, but said the Hope Campus receives drop-offs from the Fort Smith Police Department of persons who are better served at the campus than in jail. He said around 58% of all drop-offs are from the FSPD.

“That alone is a big service to the city that is for free. … They get dropped off here instead of having to go to jail,” Wilson said. “And we’ll continue to provide that, but hey, maybe we could use some support for that, and maybe that could be in doing that (waiving the water bill).”

Wilson said Hope Campus board actions taken Tuesday to reduce staff and reduce services will help with short-term relief. But his goal is to grow donor and local government support, improve finances, and bring back as many employees as possible.

‘We hope to stabilize and bring them back,” Wilson said. “This is the best and most skilled staff we’ve had.”