Christian Center Holds Grand Opening for Warming Shelter
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Christian Center held an official grand opening for the anticipated daytime warming shelter located at 193 Robbins Ave. This space is a result of center, ServiceNet, and the city's collaboration over the last couple of months.
"This is an important milestone in the work we're all committed to doing around making sure that we are providing the best care and comfort we can for homeless brothers and sisters," Mayor Linda Tyer said. "I am so grateful that the Christian Center stepped up to help us with the warming center."
The 24-by-60 foot trailer arrived at the Christian Center earlier this month and has been welcoming guests since last week. It offers housing insecure folks a warm place to reside in the hours that ServiceNet's shelter at the former St. Joseph's High School is closed.
It is funded by Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.
The center's Executive Director Betsy Sherman thanked everyone who has participated in this project that she described as being very close to her heart. When the Christian Center figured out there would be a need for a warming shelter this fall, she looked at an empty lot on the property and had the idea to place one there.
"We've had a really long and lovely relationship with ServiceNet in this process and certainly with the other organizations that have been coming here to help clients," Sherman said.
She commended Pittsfield's Department of Public Works, which dug out the semi-truck delivering the shelter several times as the shelter was being installed on the small lot.
"Everybody has been most generous with their time, and their energy and their help," Sherman said.
In November, Tyer expressed that the city was feeling discouraged from the lack of community organizations willing to host a warming shelter. Pittsfield is still in the throes of the pandemic and that means that many of the places people like to find rest, warmth, and comfort in are still closed or have limited access.
Tyer said this would not have been possible without the teamwork of Director of Community Development Deanna Ruffer, Housing Program Manager Justine Dodds, and Nate Joyner, also from the Office of Community Development, who worked hand in hand with Sherman and her team to make the shelter a reality.
"Today is a moment where we can welcome people to access the warming shelter and while this is a milestone for us this is just one step along the journey of providing the best collaboration and partnership with community agencies who do this work in the field," she said. "And I look forward to being consistently beside them as we continue to work through all of the things that are important and necessary and vital to serve this community."
The mayor said she and her team are working closely with Berkshire Regional Housing Authority, Berkshire Economic Development Corp., and state partners to seek opportunities for new supportive housing in the city of Pittsfield.
"That planning and those conversations are underway," Tyer reported. "I'm really hopeful that we will have some news on that front in the next three to four months."
State Sen. Adam Hinds attended the opening to thank the organizations for stepping up whenever there is a need in the community.
He said multiple layers of the government using CARES Act funding have underscored the discussions taking place in Washington, D.C., right now and how it translates into very real, on-the-ground impacts.
"We'll be continuing to advocate for that, we'll be continuing to advocate for changes at the state level and further support. It takes a pandemic unfortunately for us to realize who we are as a society, and how we're treating the most vulnerable among us, and where the gaps are in our services," Hinds said.
"I just really have to thank you all for stepping up and saying 'We're going to do things differently and we're going to meet the needs locally.'"
Tags: emergency shelter, homeless,
