There are warm beds for the homeless occasionally seen around Chestertown, huddling in a doorway on Cross Street or under a bench at the town Pavilion.
Getting the homeless into shelter and off the streets as an Arctic front dives on the Eastern Shore is, at this point, mostly a matter of better communications.
Samaritan Group is running a shelter at First United Methodist Church, and program coordinator Margie Conlin says, “We have four homeless people now.”
Conlin reports that the official opening is always Jan. 2 — or whenever Samaritan Group finds two or more persons needing beds. Up to that point, it will put up a homeless person in a local motel.
The Samaritans’ sheltering program has to be one of the most heart-warming in all Kent County. It began in January of ’02, inspired by Food Pantry.
“Last year there were 70 people we sheltered,” says Conlin, “24 of them children. We had nine families with children – a total of 291 bed nights. We had 48 homeless the year before, so that is a huge increase.”
The shelter is being operated at First United Methodist through February. In March it moves to the Presbyterian Church of Chestertown.
From April through December, when not hosted at churches, Samaritan Group joins with the Salvation Army and the Good Neighbor Fund at First United Methodist in an outreach program to those in need.
“We solicit funding for helping people pay rent, utilities, mortgages, water bills,” Conlin says. “If they need money for diapers, we give them a gift card. We never hand people money. We’ve bought shoes, prescription medications for people, and we also shelter people.”
Though reports of people sleeping on Chestertown streets brought consternation to the Town Council meeting Monday night, Conlin says that for the most part the homeless come to her.
“They call me. We have our name up in the supermarkets, at Miss Anna’s, at Sam’s, the Post Office, stores, restaurants. State Police call Social Services and they refer to us,” she says.
Concerned citizens may help steer people to the shelter, too. The number to call is (443) 480-3564. Donations can be sent to Samaritan Group, P.O. Box 934, Chestertown, 21620.
“And we’re always looking for volunteers,” says Conlin. “We have lots of volunteers but we always need more.”
To staff the shelter takes some commitment. There is a paid overnight supervisor every night. But volunteers are also needed for three shifts, 5:30 to 11 p.m., from 11 to 7 a.m., and 7 to 9 for the breakfast shift.
Churches have food teams that go to the shelter with breakfasts for guests and staff. Different churches take one-week shifts bringing food.
Conlin says the shelter at First United is in what’s called the undercross, the first story. It’s one huge room, and Samaritans can separate men from women, and keep families together, with partitions. Guests sleep on air mattresses.
“Whoever comes to our shelter has to be clean and dry,” Conlin says.
“They cannot have a history of sexual convictions or violent convictions. Everyone deserves shelter. But we have to protect our volunteers and churches.”
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