Last October our largest Homeless Shelter was forced to
close when the bridge to the island where it’s located was found to be unsafe
for travel.
When they shut the bridge, we lost over 700 shelter beds and
57% of our substance abuse treatment beds
in the city (read some personal accounts and a bit about how we’re
trying to cope here)
just in time for winter. We’ve had record snowfall this year with significantly
fewer resources for our brothers and sisters in need.
Just last summer we were able to tell our teams that our
city has a 93% sheltered rate for our unhoused community. We had enough beds for everyone and only 193
people slept on the street every night, usually due to past traumatic
experiences in a shelter, fear or mental instability. Now we’re months behind
schedule on the new facility and are in desperate need of your prayers.
Check out this article from The Boston Globe that has a
video of the Southampton Shelter – which was supposed to open this month – and
please join me in praying for my brothers and sisters on the street, Mayor
Walsh, The Boston Public Health Commission and all of the construction workers
who are trying to complete this project. We need these beds back now!
- Jess Fothergill, CSM Boston Associate City Director
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