Need for local warming shelters appears on the ris

It’s been about five years since the Springfield Warming Shelter opened, providing the homeless a place to sleep between November and April each year. The need for the shelter has increased every year, said North Springfield Baptist Church Rev. George Keeler, explaining they had to turn people away from the shelter for the first time this year.

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Need for local warming shelters appears on the rise By KATY SAVAGE ksavage@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — It’s been about five years since the Springfield Warming Shelter opened, providing the homeless a place to sleep between November and April each year. The shelter has eight beds and about 65 volunteers who take turns spending the night at the shelter in shifts. The need for the shelter has increased every year, said North Springfield Baptist Church Rev. George Keeler, explaining they had to turn people away from the shelter for the first time this year. “This was probably our busiest year,” he said. “This was a harder winter than last year.” The Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness found there was a 5 percent increase in the number of homeless in 2018 compared to prior year in the Statewide Point-in-Time Count, which measures how many homeless people, homeless households and how many unsheltered people there were in the state on a given day. The number of homeless people in Windsor County increased from 116 in 2016 to 125 in 2018. Springfield Warming Shelter Manager Kathy Mason said people become homeless for a variety of reasons.They could be homeless due mental illness, substance abuse or loss of a job. “Overall I would say that this problem still very much exists in the community,” said Upper Valley Haven Executive Director Sara Kobylenski. “The count is helpful as exactly what it’s called — a point in time to give us some idea of who is most vulnerable.” The Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction opened a seasonal shelter in 2014. The Haven saw an average of 15-16 people a night this past winter. “That’s increased every year for the past four years through the winter months,” Kobylenski said. Kobylenski said part of the problem is lack of affordable housing. Another issue, according to Greater Falls Warming Shelter board member Lisa Pitcher, is a delay in getting people vouchers to find long-term solutions. “Sometimes it can take a year to get somebody into stable housing even though they qualify,” Pitcher said. The Greater Falls Warming Shelter in North Walpole, New Hampshire operates from November to April with 10 beds. There were at least nine people there a night every night this winter. “I would say the numbers are not going down,” Pitcher said. “It’s difficult because sometimes people (who need help) aren’t visible.” Pitcher said four people were left without any housing options after the shelter closed in April. While there were more homeless individuals, the need for shelter for homeless veterans and families has decreased because there are more opportunities for them in this area, according to Kobylinski. Shelter managers and board members say there is a need for more shelter. “If (shelters) weren’t there, people would be dying outside,” Pitcher said.