A Thankful Sign of the Season

The Friends of the Homeless Inc.’s winter overflow shelter has closed for the season. Eighty-nine men received emergency shelter and services between November and April. Twenty-three men were housed in their own apartment, eight were reunited with family members and one guest enrolled in a long- term program. The average length of stay this winter was forty-two nights.
The winter overflow shelter is a collaborative venture ensuring that there are enough emergency shelter beds for everyone in need during the coldest months of the year. Catholic Charities provides the space. Friends of the Homeless, Inc. staffs the shelter, provides case management and offers support services like food, showers and laundry facilities. Milestone Ministries coordinates volunteers who mentor guests and provide tutoring, money management and resume writing help. Pastor Jack Desroches also conducts weekly Bible study sessions. At the end of the season only two guests remained un-housed, both of those men are now staying at the Friends of the Homeless Worthington Street shelter.
In addition to the overflow shelter, FOH experienced some of the highest numbers of men and women guests at our Worthington Street shelters to date during the winter months. There were no nights when FOH did not operate at 100 percent capacity and many when we exceeded capacity so that no one was turned away. It costs approximately $60,000. to operate the overflow shelter for a season and there is no direct funding. Friends of the Homeless Inc. absorbs the cost and must rely on donations and fundraising to pay for the additional expense.
As we relish the early spring weather, FOH would like to thank our partners, Catholic Charities, Milestone Ministries, our volunteers and all those people who support our work year round.