Eastern CT Homeless Program Strives To Respond To COVID-19 Needs

The global COVID-19 pandemic crept quietly into Willimantic in mid-March, changing everything for the Windham Region No Freeze Project, a private non-profit dedicated to the survival of people experiencing homelessness in Connecticut’s quiet corner. While the reality of the virus began to hit hard in highly-populated metropolitan areas like New York City and Connecticut’s Fairfield County, Windham officials and leaders of area non-profit organizations scurried to control the virus’ anticipated local spread. Of great concern statewide and in the Windham region was the homeless population, a group particularly vulnerable to catching and spreading the highly contagious disease. Homeless individuals are often older or have underlying health conditions.

No Freeze executive director Avery Lenhart and the organization’s board of directors understood that the 2,000 square foot space that is the current home of its shelter and offices offered no protection for the 20 to 30 guests spending nights from 7:30pm to 8:30am in tightly-packed twin beds and chairs. The single open room could not be divided into sequestered quarantine space for sick guests and sleeping space for healthy guests. “Once Connecticut’s ‘Stay Safe, Stay at Home’ executive order came down, we knew the population we serve – people with no homes - could not comply. We had to rapidly rethink how the shelter would operate. Normally, the shelter is open through April 30, but how could we continue to operate and follow state and federal guidelines when our space is so tight that even healthy guests don’t have enough room for social distancing?,” asked Lenhart.

At that point in late March, the state was working on a strategy to help the homeless population but had not yet released a plan. The No Freeze considered closing, instead providing guests with tents and sleeping bags to help with social distancing while giving them a place to stay during the day and at night. But outdoor temperatures still dipped below freezing. The town’s library, the Eastern Connecticut State University library and many other sites where homeless people were normally welcome to spend time during the day had closed. The nearby Covenant Soup Kitchen was becoming overwhelmed during daytime hours with a rapidly growing population of people who needed assistance with meals and food staples. For the soup kitchen, social distancing was also an issue.

That’s when officials from the Town of Windham approached Lenhart to help set up and manage a daytime warming space at the former Kramer School on Prospect Street. The staff of the No Freeze Project, which was already diminished to protect immunosuppressed employees and volunteers, agreed to step in. They organized and staffed the Kramer warming center from 8am to 4pm, while continuing to run their daytime hospitality center from 1 to 4pm and overnight shelter at a separate location. During warming center hours, the Covenant Soup Kitchen distributed grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches to Willimantic residents, both housed and homeless. Those with housing took their meals to go. The homeless population practiced social distancing, eating breakfasts and lunches in the large gym space while the No Freeze staff diligently sanitized to control potential infection. The Kramer warming center stayed open from March 27 until the state communicated their plans to move the Windham homeless population into a hotel.

On April 4, the No Freeze moved to a designated hotel in the area with their guests and took on a new responsibility, this time on behalf of the state. The staff coordinated each guest’s move into the hotel and oversaw transportation of their personal items. Today the staff runs the program’s offices out of a hotel room in Mansfield, and maintains its daytime hospitality center in Willimantic to serve the hygiene needs of people who continue to camp rather than moving to the hotel. Every day at the hotel, No Freeze staff supervise guest behavior, assist with personal needs and meal distribution, and continue to search for suitable options for guests who have qualified for housing.

“We’re here at the hotel until at least April 30, though I suspect – like school and business closings – our stay at the hotel may be extended into May,” Lenhart forecasts. “So far our guests are healthy and staying socially isolated. We receive meal deliveries from the wonderful folks at the Covenant Soup Kitchen and the First Baptist Church in Willimantic. But all this new responsibility beyond our normal operations is putting a strain on our organization’s budget. Since late March, we’ve been working a lot more hours than we normally would if we were sticking to our mission and running the daytime hospitality center and the overnight shelter. We’re here at the hotel 24 hours a day. This has increased our staffing costs, yet our organization’s operational expenses remain the same. We still pay rent. We still pay utilities. We aren’t paying staff enough – really we should be offering hazard pay. Our fundraising was down about 30% this year already. So we’re cutting things very close right now. I believe we’re the only homeless program in Connecticut that is 100% funded by private donations. The town and the state are turning to us for assistance now, but historically haven’t been able to provide financial support for our operation. I’m definitely concerned that our response to this crisis may mean that we’ll run out of money before the end of the COVID-19 crisis.”

And even once the pandemic ends, things will not go immediately back to normal. Many will be out of jobs for months or longer. The state’s eviction moratorium only lasts until July 1. At that point evictions will likely increase, spiking regional homelessness and making the No Freeze’s mission to link people to housing even more critical.

“We’re working so hard now to help our community during this emergency,” Lenhart pondered. “I hope we still have the funding to help later in the year when the crisis is past but the need is still great.”

To contribute to the Windham Region No Freeze Project, visit the organization’s website at www.windhamnofreeze.com and click the DONATE button, or mail a check payable to the Windham Region No Freeze Project to P.O. Box 46, Willimantic, CT 06226. For more information or to discuss additional ways to support the organization, call the No Freeze offices at 860.450.1346.