New Day Columbia was created with the belief that everyone deserves hope, dignity, support, and a safe place to turn to in times of need. It began as a ministry of Wilkes Boulevard United Methodist Church in the spring of 2014, operating almost entirely with volunteers. Throughout the years, New Day Columbia has grown and expanded beyond its original scope. In January 2026, New Day Columbia launched as a stand-alone nonprofit in anticipation of our upcoming move to the Opportunity Campus. What began as a small church ministry now serves approximately 75-100 individuals daily who are experiencing homelessness.
New Day Columbia serves adults who are experiencing homelessness in Columbia/Boone County. As a daytime shelter, we provide essential services like showers, laundry, storage, mail access, in a safe and welcoming space. In addition to our regular operating hours (Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm, and Sundays 12:30pm-3:30pm), New Day Columbia also serves as an emergency overnight warming center during extreme winter weather, and as an emergency overnight cooling center during extreme summer weather.
While continuing to meet basic needs, New Day Columbia has evolved into a coordinated support system working toward long-term solutions. New Day Columbia partners with many community organizations to address the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of our clients, working together to help each client secure a path out of homelessness.
Kera Morton
Data Compliance Coordinator
Kera Morton is the Data Compliance Coordinator and a valued staff member at the Overnight Emergency Warming Center. As a wife and mother of three, she finds joy in reading and supporting her children through their sports activities. Since joining the Warming Center in 2022 and transitioning to a full-time role at New Day Columbia in 2024, Kera has discovered a deep sense of fulfillment in her work. She finds purpose in providing adults in need with basic necessities, always treating them with dignity and respect.
Reflecting on her experiences, Kera shares, “I realized the impact of this work when working the overnight shift at the Warming Center and seeing the gratitude for providing a warm space.” For Kera, this work is more than just a job- it’s a calling. “I am grateful to be part of something that makes such an impact,” she says, adding that the most rewarding aspect of her role is keeping the daily data organized while being part of an organization that offers hope and restores dignity. “It motivates me to keep showing up.”
Lanny Broadus
Day Room Manager
Lanny Broadus is the Day Room Manager at New Day Columbia, where he helps ensure that guests have access to hot showers, clean laundry, and a place to rest. Lanny describes himself as a laid-back person who also values structure and consistency, qualities that bring calm and care to the day-to-day flow of the space.
In 2018, Lanny came to New Day Columbia seeking help during a time of homelessness. That experience not only offered him support but led to a job and a new path forward. Today, Lanny brings that lived experience into his work, meeting guests with empathy, patience, and purpose. “There’s something new every day,” he says, “and the people and staff make it worth it.”
For Lanny, the impact of his work is often found in small but powerful moments, like when someone expresses simple gratitude for a shower or a fresh set of clothes. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something good,” he shared. “The most rewarding part is seeing a person get back on their feet and succeed in life!”
Chris Dallmeyer
Intake Coordinator
Chris Dallmeyer, 30 years young, works as the Intake Coordinator at New Day Columbia, where he is the first face everyone sees as they enter. Chris is responsible for checking in all who enter, monitoring clients as they come in and out, and keeping essential records. Chris enjoys reading books and gaming in his free time. What he values most about his role at New Day Columbia is the ability to help people. “I have worked here since January. I was inspired to work here because I was homeless at one point too, and wanted to help people better themselves. And I know that I am making a difference in people's lives. An example of when I realized my impact was when I started working at the overnight warming center during the winter. I realized we were saving people from freezing to death.”
Chris acknowledges that “sometimes our clients are not the easiest people to deal with and they make it hard to help them. But it's worth it when these people come back and tell us how well they're doing now.” The most rewarding part of his job, he says, is meeting good people and being able to take advantage of this opportunity to not only better other people's lives, but his own. His personal experience with homelessness gives him a unique perspective and empathy that he brings to his work every day, making him a vital part of the New Day Columbia team.
Vencel Tigue Sr.
Title: Service Coordinator
Vencel Tigue Sr. manages the Locker Room at New Day Columbia, where he provides guests with locker access, clothing vouchers, coffee cups, and a safe, monitored space to store their belongings. With a calm, dependable presence, Vencel keeps things running smoothly while offering kindness and support to those who come through.
A devoted Cardinals and Chiefs fan, Vencel brings the same loyalty and heart to his work as he does to his teams. He’s 60 years old, engaged, and proud to be a father to two. His favorite color is red. He joined New Day Columbia two years ago, drawn by a deep desire to help people improve their lives. “I like to help people and see them do better,” he says. “I want to help people get on their right path.”
For Vencel, the most rewarding part of his work is watching people grow. “Seeing someone do much better than how they started, from negative to positive.”
Mel McMorris
Program Assistant - Coffee Shop/Emergency Overnight Warming Center
Mel McMorris is the Program Assistant for the Coffee Shop and Emergency Overnight Warming Center at New Day Columbia and Chairperson of New Day Columbia Board of Directors. A U.S. Army and Vietnam War veteran, Mel has spent his life in service, working in social work, woodworking, real estate, and hospice care for terminally ill veterans. After retiring, he and his wife, Lynn, sought out volunteer work, drawn to the sense of purpose and connection it brings.
At New Day Columbia, Mel helps provide work opportunities in the Coffee Shop and ensures those seeking shelter in the Warming Center are met with warmth and dignity. Over time, he has earned the trust of many who pass through its doors—people who, as he says, “have no reason to trust you.” For him, the most fulfilling moments come from simply being a steady presence. “New Day Columbia is thoughtfully structured to provide a safe environment for those who work here and for those who need its services. It’s a space where trust can grow, and where people—staff and guests alike, can feel valued.”
Lynn McMorris
Program Assistant - Mailroom/Emergency Overnight Warming Center
Lynn McMorris is the Program Assistant for the Mailroom and Emergency Overnight Warming Center at New Day Columbia and is secretary of the New Day Columbia Board of Directors. Originally from Iowa, she spent years as a music teacher before working at the University of Iowa’s College of Education for over three decades. After retiring, she and her husband, Mel, moved to Columbia, where they found a strong sense of purpose in volunteering.
At New Day Columbia, Lynn coordinates the mailroom, ensuring clients receive important correspondence, and helps welcome and check in guests at the Warming Center. For her, the most rewarding part of the work is simple but profound- making people feel seen. “Homelessness is so misunderstood. People need to know they matter and that they are heard. It’s the least I can do.”
Lynn sees New Day Columbia as more than a shelter. It’s a family. “Providing hope and restoring dignity; what could be more inspiring? As a hospice volunteer, my goal was to help people die with dignity. At New Day Columbia, I do my best to help people live with dignity.”
Caryl Bryan
Volunteer - Mailroom
Caryl Bryan, a dedicated mail room volunteer at New Day Columbia, has been with the shelter since its inception. A retired physical therapist and proud mother of three and grandmother of seven, Caryl brings a wealth of experience and compassion to her role. "I got involved the summer New Day Columbia first opened," she shares. "I knew Meg Hegeman and she needed help. She had taken a very courageous step in making WBUMC a mission to people in our community facing homelessness, and I wanted to help her."
Caryl is responsible for managing and organizing the shelter’s mail- dating, filing, forwarding, and returning items as needed. She finds joy in providing clients with important documents, like ID cards and checks, and values the relationships she’s built with both staff and clients. "The most rewarding part of my job is being friends with some of the clients and hearing, 'thank you Miss Caryl!'" When she's not volunteering, Caryl enjoys theater, singing, and spending time with her family.
Janet Coyne
Volunteer - Mailroom
Janet Coyne, a mail room volunteer at New Day Columbia, has been contributing her time since 2024. Originally from South Dakota, Janet moved to Columbia nearly six years ago to be closer to her daughter and family, while escaping the harsh winters. She is a proud mother of two and a grandmother of four. Enjoying her retirement for the past eight years, Janet was introduced to New Day Columbia through friends Carolyn and Lynn, who encouraged her to help out. "I enjoy helping the clients and making new friends," she shares.
In the mail room, Janet sorts and distributes mail to clients, a task she soon realized holds deep significance for many who rely on receiving important documents and packages. "It makes me feel good as many of them are very thankful for the help they receive." Janet finds personal benefit in her volunteer work, noting it keeps her physically active and mentally engaged. "The most rewarding part of my job is helping others as I believe that is why I am put on this earth." Janet values the camaraderie with the staff and volunteers and is grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those at New Day Columbia.
Jo Lee
Volunteer - Mailroom
Jo Lee is a dedicated mailroom volunteer and treasurer of the New Day Columbia Board of Directors, where she helps sort and distribute mail for clients. She was invited to join the team by her friend and inspiration, Caryl Bryan, and saw it as the perfect opportunity to stay active and involved in the community after working at Missouri United Methodist Church for 12 years. Volunteering alongside her team, Jo finds great purpose in the small but meaningful moments that come with her role.
Married for 40 years, Jo is a proud mom of two sons and a grandmother of one. She balances her time caring for both her mother and mother-in-law, while still making space for her passions, reading, traveling, and especially cruising. Whether at home or out at sea, Jo brings the same calm, kind presence she brings to New Day Columbia every week.
For Jo, what makes New Day Columbia special is simple: “I love the people here.” She cherishes the chance to connect with clients personally, even if just through handing over a piece of mail. “Putting a face to the name and perhaps hearing a part of someone's story makes me feel as though I am respecting and honoring our clients as individuals,” she says. While much of her work is behind the scenes, Jo lights up at the chance to learn clients’ names and stories, always seeking connection and community in every interaction.
Tim Drennan
Volunteer - Coffee
Tim Drennan serves coffee at New Day Columbia and creates a welcoming environment for clients at the facility. A retired teacher, Tim became involved with New Day Columbia ten years ago after hearing positive feedback about the organization in the local community. Since then, he has dedicated himself to the organization, taking joy in the small but meaningful moments of daily interaction.
Tim enjoys talking with people, learning their stories, and building genuine relationships through jokes and conversation. For Tim, the most rewarding part of his role is the connections he has formed over the years; relationships that remind him why showing up everyday matters.
