The Reach Center, the only homeless shelter in Baxter County that accommodates children and full families, will officially reopen its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 15, at noon. The center is located at 2335 E. Arkansas Avenue in Mountain Home. An open house will follow from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., welcoming the public to tour the facility, meet staff, and learn about its expanded programs.
Guests exploring the newly refurbished building will see updates including a renovated kitchen, as well as enhanced shower and laundry areas. Staff will also provide information on free financial, life skills, and job training classes set to begin at the center.
The ribbon cutting marks the end of an unexpectedly prolonged construction period. The Reach Center, which initially opened its current location in January 2024 amidst high hopes, faced challenges that limited its operations to emergency sheltering during severe weather. These operations mirrored the center’s early days when it served the community out of Real Life Church.
While the facility originally hosted up to 25 people in winter 2024 and even housed roughly 100 individuals during its first operational season, plans to remain open year-round were disrupted as essential upgrades, including the installation of a fire sprinkler system, proved costlier and more complex than anticipated. A Facebook video released in January 2025 detailed additional challenges, such as delays in establishing a water line to support the system, driving costs to three times the original estimate. Fundraising efforts eventually covered these expenses, allowing construction to proceed.
The expanded amenities now include new bathrooms, additional showers, and indoor laundry facilities—a significant improvement over the facility’s initial setup, which relied on trailers parked outside the building.
The Reach Center’s origins trace back to 2021 after a snowstorm revealed a gap in local resources for homeless residents during extreme weather. Mayor Hillrey Adams partnered with Jeff Quick, CEO of the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas, to establish a temporary shelter in Real Life Church’s auditorium. That effort grew into a dedicated organization. It later acquired its permanent home on East Arkansas Avenue after Real Life Church Pastor Vince Daniel identified and secured the property.
The shelter offers a safe, structured environment for guests, who receive partitioned sleeping areas, fresh clothing, and access to essential services. Guests can stay for up to three months while staff assist with signing up for benefits, obtaining legal identification, and connecting with local nonprofit and healthcare partners. The center’s optional life skills classes focus on practical topics like personal finance, job applications, parenting, and basic home or auto maintenance.
The need for such services has grown in Baxter County, with homelessness trending upward in recent years. The Arkansas Department of Education reported 263 homeless individuals in the county during the last quarter of 2023, compared to 164 at the same time in 2022. Mountain Home Public Schools alone recorded approximately 90 homeless students in 2022.
Donations to the Reach Center can be made through its website at reachmh.com under the “give” tab.