Carbondale to reduce immigrant services

Carbondale gradually will be reducing its immigrant services over the next two months, according to a news release.

Beginning Friday, the town will stop filling vacancies in shelters. By April 1, it officially will close both of its shelters, according to the release.

Dinner service will end March 22, followed by breakfast service March 29. The release states that the schedules for these closures were shared with all shelter guests on Wednesday.

“The town’s goal from the start has been to provide temporary resources to meet the basic needs of newcomers during the height of the winter months,” the release states. “March will be the big transition month as the town begins to discontinue the temporary services launched for this emergency response while continuing to be part of a regional discussion on refugee support for the long term.”

In addition to its shelters and dinner service, the town gradually will discontinue the remaining newcomer services beginning in April.

Newcomers still will be able to utilize showers at the Rec Center and the overnight parking/camping in the designated area until April 19, according to the release.

“Currently our community does not have the long-term capacity to serve adults experiencing homelessness — especially the unique needs of immigrant newcomers. The town of Carbondale could not have done this without the massive efforts of volunteers, nonprofits and cooperating governments, and we cannot do this alone going forward,” Town Manager Lauren Gister said in the news release. “With the expectation of a future increase in unhoused immigrants seeking work, housing and other services in our region, we hope to work regionally to create the infrastructure needed to serve the unhoused population in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys.”