CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI (WSIL) -- Dancing with the Show Me Stars is taking place on July 30th. That means the whole morning team will be in Cape Girardeau the day before the event.
The event is filled with tangos and music, and raises money for the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri, which serves 11 counties.Ìý
They have around a dozen programs supporting youth, to single parents, and seniors. However, the group's largest program is housing and housing assistance.Ìý
One person who is using these services is Nathan Donini. The 28 year old is from Arlington, Texas but wonders place to place.
Right now, he finds himself in Cape Girardeau with no real home.
Instead he comes to the Neighborhub at the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri.
"The shower and everything is what's the word," he says. "Is pretty essential you know what I'm saying."Â
According to the group's Executive Director, Dr. Melissa Stickel, around 12 to 18 people in Cape Girardeau are chronically homeless, while 90 to 100 experience homelessness on a daily basis.
"There's different ways to measure or count people who are experiencing homelessness based on their individual experience," she explains. "How frequent, how long, is this temporary, is this situational."Â
To help, the non-profit offers several different types of housing assistance, such as money for those behind on rent, mortgage or utilities.
There's also housing for low-income residents at Liberty Apartments with 40 units.
"It's full all the time.," Stickel says. "It's doing great, we're two years into that project."Â
Right around the corner from Liberty Apartments is Lindenwood Senior Apartments that's going through renovations. It will give 67 seniors a safe place with plans for even more.
"Then next year, we should be ready to break ground on southside village which is actually single-family homes and townhomes. Those are built specifically to move towards homeownership."
Stickle says housing stability is a priority at the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri.
"It's really hard to maintain employment, maintain sobriety, maintain your mental health when you're in survival mode," she adds.Ìý
And of course, the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri has the neighborhub. This acts as cooling center or warming center depending on the season as well as daily services like showers, laundry facilities, and food.Ìý
It also connects visitors with the group's more permanent housing options and other programs. Something Donini says he might look into like help with his education.
"Cyber security," he quips. "Mostly because I hear that's a big winning team over there."Â
Each week leading up to Dancing with the Show me Stars, News 3 be highlighting a different program at the Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri.
For more information on the group, .Ìý