SHELTERING HOPE AND COMMUNITY
Isabella County Restoration House continues service through pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Isabella County Restoration House (ICRH) continues to implement safety protocols while assisting those in need of shelter.
The ICRH is a seasonal shelter that’s open from the end of October to mid-april and provides shelter and other resources to aid people in the community experiencing homelessness. The shelter also works with local churches, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and other local businesses and organizations.
The shelter had previously opened at 1 p.m. but is currently open 24/7 in order to allow guests to have space to stay out of the cold
during the colder months. This is due to other community resources that homeless individuals generally use not being available for them until the shelter opens.
“We’ve had to keep capacity down below what’s usual for us,” ICRH Executive Director Dee Obrecht said.
The shelter has also had to hire some more people on staff.
“We had a staff of 4 and generally we relied on volunteers,” Obrecht said. “We’ve added around 12 people to staff and had to write job descriptions and train the new people.”
The ICRH has had to add some things and take away other things away in order to make sure the guests are safe.
One tote box per person is available for the guests to satore their belongings, a washer and dryer was added as the shelter through the generosity of a donor, clear barriers are added to certain desk areas, and fans have been added for circulation since the shelter doesn’t have windows that can open.
The green section, which was a play area for children, is now a section for guests to have their items checked by volunteers and staff members. Guests have food and beverages handed out to them when necessary.
Local businesses and organizations have donated food, water, household necessities and computers for the guests to use when needed.
“The community has really stepped up,” Obrecht said. “We’re constantly being contacted about what we may need.”
Guests have their health screened by staff every time they enter the building and the furniture has been rearranged to comply with social distancing. Guests are also required to ask permission to leave in order to limit exposure outside the shelter.
The ICRH shelter also has a quarantine area for guests who may have COVID and tests and treatment are arranged. No one has come to the shelter with COVID yet but some guests have displayed symptoms and had to use the quarantine area until it was determined that they were okay.
Employees and volunteers are also required to follow cleaning and sanitizing guidelines throughout the shelter.
There has been some concern about where these people will go when the shelter’s seasonal operations end since there are currently no openings for those living in low income homes.
“The board is discussing plans for funding, donations and expanding,” Obrecht said. “We’re looking into options on what needs can be met and what can be done for the end of the season.”