What you should know about…
THE 2024-2025 WINTER OVERFLOW SHELTER
Once again this year Catholic Charities of the Fall River Diocese (CCFR) is operating an overflow shelter that will be activated when the individual shelter they operate in New Bedford is full AND certain weather conditions exist. The overview, below is prepared by the CCFR team. Please note that in order to accommodate additional folks this winter including those from outside of New Bedford, additional funding has been requested from the state by Steppingstone who has graciously been partnering in this process to ensure as many as possible in need of shelter on cold nights can be accommodated. It is hoped that this funding is awarded so that additional units needed within our CoC can be provided. In the meantime:
Catholic Charities is providing emergency shelter through a Cold Weather Overflow Shelter Project to unsheltered homeless at a local motel (with a total of 15 units set aside and a total capacity of 30 beds for the overflow shelter). This will be offered when there is no vacancy at either of the Catholic Charities Shelters in New Bedford (Sister Rose and Grace House). The following information is provided to ensure clarity as to how the Cold Weather Overflow shelter will operate during the winter season 2024-2025:
- Conditions Activating the Shelter. The Cold Weather Overflow Shelter will be in operation during cold weather months (November 15, 2024 to March 30, 2025) when temperatures are at, or below, 30 degrees and/or severe weather conditions such as a blizzard. Precipitation or snow alone doesn’t ensure that the overflow will open; other factors are taken into consideration coupled with the temperatures such as “feel like” temps. As an example, if the temperature was expected to be at 32 degrees but the wind-chill coupled with rain or snow presents or “feels like” 25 degrees, then the overflow would be activated.
- Cold Weather Shelter Staff. The Cold Weather Overflow Shelter project team is composed of Catholic Charities, PAACA, and Best Security.
- Admission Into Shelter. On a daily basis all Providers and Street Outreach teams, should direct all unsheltered individuals to contact Sister Rose/ Grace House as early as 9:30am and no later than 1pm to check on availability or to be put on a waitlist for those shelters. As beds become available individuals will be contacted for placement from the list. This helps in regards to hotel placement and number of expected guests on any given night. When the Emergency Assistance Shelters are at capacity and weather conditions warrant, the Cold Weather Overflow will be activated. Catholic Charities will send an activation email to providers informing everyone the cold shelter is open and the Bristol County CoC will post a notice on its Facebook page. Every year there has been grey area days the team will do the best in our judgment to make the right call. On days that we are expected to open, an email blast will be sent by 12pm.
- Transportation to the Shelter. Transportation will be provided by PAACA and all individuals will be picked up in the parking lot of Sister Rose House at 71 Division St. Transportation starts at 3pm and based on 30 individuals PAACA provides roughly 2 trips. Individuals could also take alternative options such as SRTA buses or their own vehicles provided they registered on any given day to stay at the Cold Weather Overflow Shelter. PAACA also provides dinner at the motel when the Overflow is activated.
- What Does It Look Like When Folks Go into the Cold Weather Overflow Shelter? All inquiries can be forwarded to Sister Rose House. Guest are encouraged to call the office at 508-997-3202 to confirm if the Overflow will be activated. If so then all individuals should plan to arrive in the parking lot entrance and line up accordingly. All individuals have to be at least 18 years old. Males are assigned with males and females are assigned with females. All individuals are registered and an ID will be provided to verify that the all parties have been registered through the season. Even though many unsheltered individuals are reluctant to accept services, all people are encouraged and asked if they would like to be added to the waitlist. Once registration is done (1pm to 3pm) transportation starts immediately. Once all individuals have arrived at the motel, shortly after the meals provided by PAACA are distributed to all individuals. Everybody is given a wakeup call between 5:30- 6am in which transportation will return everybody back to the parking lot of Sister Rose House. All parties must exit the motel by 6am.
- Guidance related to COVID-19. All shelter guests must continue to comply with wearing a mask in shelter setting.
As a reminder, the overflow will be activated on nights when the temperature is expected to be at 30 degrees or less.
If the temperature were to drop below 30 at 4 or 5:00am rather than 7 or 8:00pm as an example, it doesn’t ensure that the overflow would open.
All guests are expected to exit the motel by 6 am.
