NONPROFITS TEAMING UP TO HELP HOMELESS
Warming center access, meal availability among initiatives
FITCHBURG » The Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts is spearheading a multi-community effort to meet the needs of the local homeless population, in particular, single individuals.
A group of local nonprofit organizations and community leaders have been brought together by CFNCM President Stephen Adams to launch a plan to address immediate needs. They include state Rep. Natalie Higgins and a number of people who are in a position to help.
“The Community Foundation has been struggling with how best to work with the problems of homelessness and substance abuse for some time,” Adams said. “It is not a new issue.”
Adams sat down with Higgins, who he said has been “a driving force,” pre- COVID to discuss the lack of low-threshold emergency shelters in the area, a place where homeless who are “not ready to make the commitment to get off drugs or alcohol” can go for food, services, and a place to sleep.
“Once the COVID crisis struck, we became more aware of how deep the problem is,”
Adams said, adding that there are many people in the region living on the streets and in the woods. “The pandemic made it worse.”
The issue of homelessness in the region has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and shelters have had to lower the numbers of people they can house at any given time due to protocols and regulations.
Adams said they realized there was no coordination happening among local organizations to help the homeless population, which they learned more about when COVID-19 hit.
“We got a call in the fall that no day services were available, they all had to close because of pandemic,” Adams said. “The last one closed in October and we knew that winter was coming. That really focused our attention. I called as many homeless shelters and people I knew and asked them what we can do.”
CFNCM has some COVID-19 relief money, but Adams said they were not sure if they were going to run out.
“We had a meeting with state officials who said they have funding if we can find a provider,” Adams said. “This is how I
got to know the players in this field, an impressive group of providers.”
A number of proactive steps have already been taken. Adams called South Middlesex Opportunity Council CEO James Cuddy, who “immediately” offered to help. SMOC, an established and experienced social service nonprofit, will manage and operate a day center and serve as a coordinator for the services and organizations serving homeless adults in Leominster, Fitchburg, and Gardner.
Staff at Restoration Recovery Center Inc., at 40 Fairmount St. in Fitchburg, offered space in their building for a warming center and a CFNCM grant of $13,000 is enabling them to be brought up to code to meet the changing COVID-19 food service regulations.
“That allows them to meet city health code requirements under COVID and allow for safe food distribution,” Adams said of the grant.
CFNCM helped coordinate state funding for shelter at the Days Inn in Leominster for up to 50 homeless adults through the middle of April. Since the project began on Jan. 6, 11 people have been placed in rooms and three have been connected to jobs by outreach workers associated with the project.
In addition, regular meal delivery to the Days Inn, Restoration Recovery Center and Montachusett Community Brach YMCA by North Central Massachusetts Faith Based Community Coalition, Spanish American Center in Leominster and the Fitchburg Salvation Army has been coordinated.
Emily MacRae runs North Central Massachusetts Faith Based Community Coalition, a coalition of 11 churches in the region including ones in Fitchburg and Westminster.
She said that they have been offering free meals from the YMCA for five years; pre- COVID-19 they were serving 200 meals a month, now they are up to a staggering 1,600 meals a month.
“We are always looking for volunteers to help us with the preparation and packaging of meals,” she said.
MacRae said they are currently offering grab ‘n’ go meals including a full hot breakfast on Sunday mornings at 8 a.m., dinner on Wednesdays starting at 4 p.m., and in a couple weeks they will begin offering Friday dinners as well. Each meal also includes a bagged lunch to go that comes with a sandwich, fruit, applesauce, energy bars and a bottle of water and juice box.
Adams said there are many people helping to connect homeless people with the existing and new services available to them, including the Leominster Police Department substance abuse outreach advocate Jennessa McQuade.
“The collaboration of all these players is making this possible,” Adams said. “Because of the generosity of the people in Central Mass and across the state, we have some resources needed to spark the solutions that we are putting into place. The Community Foundation is the convener; the hard work is being done by the service providers on the ground.”
For more information and to volunteer call Emily MacRae at 978-868-8857.