Emergency shelter opens for homeless

An emergency shelter response team has assembled to help people experiencing homelessness who have nowhere to sleep in the month of April.

After the seasonal closing of Interfaith Winter Shelter, the only low-barrier shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Bloomington, about 50 people were left on the streets.

Interfaith’s only requirement for guests was that they express good behavior, whereas other shelters have rules that may require guests to be Monroe County citizens and sober, among other requirements.

The new emergency shelter is at First United Methodist Church, organizer Samantha Harrell said. Harrell said volunteers sought to expand from the three nights FUMC opened its doors last summer to a month-long emergency shelter.

“When we couldn’t secure a summer space this spring, we asked FUMC for the month of April if they could host emergency volunteers for hazardous weather,” Harrell said.

Harrell said what qualifies as an emergency is currently being debated among the people operating the emergency shelter. She said there is a consensus that it should open in the case of tornadoes or thunderstorms, but they are currently debating other situations.

“People are working out right now thresholds to open for rain and temperature,” Harrell said.

The emergency shelter has opened for three nights so far, with about 15 volunteers contributing each night. Harrell said 34 people stayed the first night, 29 the second night and 30 the third night.

The emergency shelter stays open 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Harrell said the emergency team provides its own volunteers, food and materials, and they clean up before they leave the church the next day.

Harrell emphasized the agreement with FUMC is only through April, and she is still looking for another host organization for an emergency shelter for May.

Other efforts to help fill the void left by the seasonal closing of Interfaith are led by Laura LaSuertmer, a member of the Catholic Workers community in Bloomington, Harrell said.

LaSuertmer is trying to organize a network of people who would be willing to house someone in their home for a night during extreme weather, Harrell said.