GREENFIELD — Those in need of a warm place to stay during the frigid few days to come will not be turned away and should have a place to sleep, city officials and social workers re-emphasized Wednesday as the city and its residents continue to wrestle with best practice for short and long-term solutions to ensuring the safety of the homeless.
Social workers in Greenfield are reaching out to members of the community, particularly those who are homeless, both by choice and not, to let them know that there are plenty of options for them to keep warm, as temperatures are poised to plummet below zero degrees. Social workers said that with these more dangerous temperatures they are seeing overflow to a point that they routinely do not.
The efforts will be all funneled through ServiceNet, which runs the overnight shelter at 60 Wells St. They will be supported though by the Salvation Army in Greenfield, led by Capt. Scott Peabody, who will, if need be, open up its doors as an overnight warming center.
There has been widespread discussion in the community of why the city, the churches or social agencies cannot more easily open their doors to provide emergency shelter in extreme weather. Typically, city officials have cited building codes that apply to shelters, requiring things, like sprinkler systems that most emergency locations might not have, and social workers have pointed out the costs of employing sufficient and adequate staffing to run an overnight shelter.
Now, at least for the next few days, the Salvation Army is ready to do what’s needed to help out if anyone needs shelter and cannot find it elsewhere.
This addition of the Salvation Army’s support was partly initiated after the public forum held Monday by City Council President Karen “Rudy” Renaud. At the meeting with about 75 people in attendance in addition to city and state officials, “Bobby C” Campbell led a collection of about $655, which is now being used by the Salvation Army.
A couple of people have already been put up in hotels with these funds raised Monday night, Peabody said Wednesday afternoon.
The John Zon Community Center and the Greenfield Public Library during regular business hours are officially noted as warming centers, the Mayor’s Office announced Wednesday. City buildings typically are designated as cooling centers during the summer, and known as a place where people can go and stay warm in the winter, but with increased public discussion on the matter, the Mayor’s Office officially designated these two locations as warming centers.
Greenfield’s fire responders are continuing to ensure people in the community have an option to get out of the cold if they ask for it.
“We encourage everybody who is in need to go to the local (Wells Street) shelter,” Greenfield Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Robert Strahan said. “If you’re in need of temporary sheltering then to go to the shelter in Greenfield and they will work on providing help to those in need.”
The city is trying to keep a unified message on where folks should go if in need, although it does not have a codified plan in these emergency situations to fall back on.
“We’re working with ServiceNet and others to find the best solution and assistance for individuals,” said Mark Smith, chief of staff of Mayor William Martin.
Smith has been filling in this week for Martin, who is on vacation until Monday. The mayor was in the office last week, when the news surfaced that a couple were found dead in a tent in the woods behind the McDonald’s on the Mohawk Trail, on a freezing night. The cause of their deaths is still under investigation and has not been released yet by the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.
Renaud has been working to find the best solutions, both in the short and long term.
“It looks like we have a very temporary solution to this acute crisis,” Renaud said. “We still need a solution to the lack of shelter beds for the rest of this winter.”
You can reach Joshua Solomon at:
jsolomon@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 264