Cold Weather Shelter Updates
Contributions to the Cold Weather Shelter efforts
Update on Cold Weather Shelter in Hillsborough
After 6 weeks with the county shelter opening 14 days in two different locations in Hillsborough (St. Matthew's and Hillsborough Presbyterian), two individuals showed up on two different days (once at Hillsborough Presbyterian and once at St. Matthew's). One of those individuals was immediately transported by EMS to the hospital due to concerning medical issues so the shelter space at St. Matthew's was not used at all. The county housing department faithfully sent staff to set up/clean up and stay the night during this period of time and street outreach staff and one volunteer from Piney Grove Baptist Church contacted individuals possibly needing shelter. Volunteers from St. Matthew's and HPC contacted local merchants and organizations assisting those living among us without shelter. For what appears to be a number of somewhat complex reasons, none of the people living unsheltered in this area showed up to use the shelter space in Hillsborough except as mentioned above. The county manager logically has said that the county financially cannot sustain a shelter without utilization so the decision has been made to suspend shelter space in Hillsborough for this winter. Individuals in the northern part of the county will be offered assistance with transportation to the shelter in Chapel Hill by county staff. Items donated by the Shawl Ministry and a very full carload of items for the personal hygiene kits donated by parishioners through the Daughters of the King have been transported to the county cold weather staff/street outreach teams for distribution to those using the shelter in Chapel Hill as well as to those continuing to stay outdoors in Orange County.
County staff have indicated a wish to try again next winter given the learning that has happened over these 6 weeks and to approach the issue in different ways. Per this writer's understanding from the county housing director, he believes that this needed to be tried in Hillsborough and that the effort has provided information on ways people might be engaged in the future. Several parishioners have commented that the process of offering space has been useful to St. Matthew's in stretching ourselves a bit more with offering "radical hospitality".
In the meantime, assistance continues to be needed:
I am signing up to assist with providing/serving meals at the Chapel Hill shelter occasionally and would welcome help. I am signed up to help provide food/serve on December 24, 25, 26 and 27th. I welcome any donations of food and will transport food to Chapel Hill on those dates. If you can help with this, please contact Ellen McRae emcrae75@gmail.com. I will be signing up for other dates during the rest of the winter also so let me know if you want to help with donating food in the future and/or if you can help with transporting food to Chapel Hill.
If you want to sign up directly to assist with providing meals, funding or help with serving, the link for the Chapel Hill CWS food sign up is: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4DA9AF2DA2FD0-59869192-meals or you can contact Betsy Watson from University Baptist Church at betsywatson42@gmail.com.
There is a list of items needed by the county staff serving those living without shelter and the flyer is posted around our campus and on the county website.
Please contact Ellen McRae, emcrae75@gmail.com with any questions, concerns or with offers to continue to help. Thanks!
Ellen McRae
