KALAMAZOO, Mich — As West Michigan approaches colder weather, Kalamazoo is expanding its winter shelter program in an effort to make sure people experiencing homelessness have a safe and warm place to sleep.
The program, which began Nov. 2 and runs through March 31, includes up to 210 nighttime shelter beds, with an additional 25 spaces available during extreme weather. More than 200 daytime shelter spaces are also available.
The nearly $980,000 program is supported by the City of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, City of Portage, Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care and United Way of South Central Michigan. The City of Kalamazoo is contributing $450,000.
For Bennie Woods, who is currently living at Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries, having those resources available matters.
Woods said he has used shelter services on and off for about three years and wants people to understand there isn't one story behind why someone may need help.
“There's a lot of people that just fell on bad times, not on booze, drugs, or abuse, just bad timing,” Woods said.
Sometimes, Woods said, a person's circumstances can change when a support system they once depended on is suddenly no longer there.
“Sometimes it's loved ones that you depend on, live with forever, and depending on them to be there, and all of a sudden they're not there, and you got to go out there and fend for yourself,” Woods said.
More beds as winter approaches
Jenhsu Bishop, executive impact and equity officer with United Way of South Central Michigan, said organizers have increased shelter capacity this year and expect to be able to meet the need as people seek help.
“We have more beds this year than we did last year. We continue to anticipate that we'll be able to meet the needs as folks come in,” Bishop said.
Last winter, Kalamazoo's community shelter program provided 18,608 shelter nights over four months and sheltered as many as 224 people in a single day. The program also connected 282 households with additional support services.
Bishop said both shelter providers currently still have available capacity.
If the winter shelter program reaches capacity, Bishop said Housing Resources Inc. will work to connect people with other available resources.
How to get help
Adults seeking shelter can contact Housing Resources Inc., which coordinates access to winter shelter.
Bishop said callers are connected with an intake specialist who collects basic information and works to find an available bed that meets their needs.
The process is designed to let someone know what resources are available to them in less than 20 minutes, Bishop said.
For Woods, the importance of having those resources available comes down to something much simpler.
“They do the best they can with what they got,” Woods said.
The winter shelter program runs through the end of March.
