Project Hope for the Homeless announces precautions being taken

Project Hope for the Homeless announced that it continues to take precautions as the shelter remains open during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Project Hope stated it has increased procedures for disinfecting; reminded guests, staff and volunteers to wash hands continually; ordered a deep cleaning of the facility from a vendor; and should a quarantine be necessary, it will work in conjunction with the Lake County General Health District to make proper accommodations for someone infected. “We thank the community for supporting us knowing that we remain open during this crisis,” Executive Director Judy Burr said in a news release. “It is our desire, should some emergency funding become available, that we will extend our hours to keep our vulnerable population safe.”

Project Hope, which is the only emergency shelter in Lake County, is a 50-bed, year- round facility and is keeping up with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the release stated.

The adult shelter is currently open daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and serves up to 38 guests per night. The Families Moving Forward program serves up to 12 guests nightly and operates in a separate wing of the facility at 25 Freedom Road in Painesville currently from 1 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays and 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends.

Project Hope’s procedures for dropping off donations and meals will be changing to door drop-off only to limit the spread of the virus, the release stated. Staff and volunteers ages 65 and older have been asked to temporarily take a leave of absence so that they remain safe as they are vulnerable as well.

Visit the shelter’s website and Facebook page for updates as this situation evolves.

In the meantime, Project Hope is seeking people to sign up to volunteer from 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. by completing an application available on its website to replace older volunteers for the upcoming weeks. The shelter also is seeking funding to extend hours if there is an order from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to “shelter in place.”