BEDFORD – Heather Flynn, executive director of the Stone City Alliance for Recovery and Hope, Inc.
Men’s Warming Shelter requested $30,000 to help support the facility’s operating expenses during the commissioners’ meeting in October.
The commissioners took that request under advisement.
This morning two commissioners Rodney Fish and Wally Branham voted to release this one-time donation to the warming shelter. The request must now be approved by the county council
Commissioner President Dustin Gabhart voted against the request saying the Shelter is not just addressing the homelessness in Lawrence County but has opened the shelter to those who do not live in Lawrence County.
“I do not agree with them allowing the homeless from other counties to come here,” added Gabhart.
In January 2024 the Men’s Warming Shelter will celebrate 10 years of service.
“The shelter opened after a homeless man froze to death. He had no identification and remained unnamed,” Flynn added. “That is when faith leaders under the director or Father Rick took steps to see this never happened again.”
The Men’s Warming Shelter is located at 1414 H Street.
“We have changed the program over the years from just meeting basic needs to finding out the root causes of these men’s homelessness,” Flynn added. “When you strengthen people you strengthen the community.”
The program now provides not only warmth, shelter, and food, but also education opportunities, jobs, and residency, and addresses addiction, mental health, and physical health needs.
This past winter 68 men sought help. Of those 33 were regular guests and 35 were transients.
The facility was able to help 34 find permanent housing, 45 with jobs, and 35 with health care.
“We used to see the same men enter the shelter every year, but now that is changing,” Flynn added.
The shelter also offers SPIN – Supporting People in Need. This program is not just for men but anyone in the community facing a need.
Supporting People in Need – or SPIN – opened its doors on April 12th of 2021 after Heather Beasley, founder of SPIN, noticed a gap in potential services for community members in need.
The Men’s Warming Shelter helps during the winter months for those who would be left out in the cold, but the services close during the Summer season, leaving many in the community without any help.
The SPIN program supports unhoused individuals and those who have homes but lack electricity, running water, or money to wash their clothes or find needed resources.
SPIN is available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. with volunteers on hand to help in any way they can.
That program assisted 274 people last year, provided 4,989 meals, 671 with needed supplies, 467 with showers, 444 with laundry services, 385 with outreach community support, and 44 people volunteered.
