Project HOPE of Eastern Connecticut opened its shelter located at 433 Valley Street in Willimantic on Oct. 29.
According to a press release, the facility is designed to “meet the emotional and physical needs of adults experiencing homelessness so they can feel safe enough to focus on health, employment and personal growth.” The shelter is a 6,200 square foot modern space that welcomes all unhoused adults. The space features “10 semi-private micro-units, each with a private bathroom and storage area.” Additionally, the building is ADA-compliant and includes an elevator as well as two wheelchair-accessible units.
CREDIT: https://projecthopeect.org/project-hope-of-eastern-connecticut-unveils-newly-renovated-shelter/
The shelter offers a wide variety of services for its guests: on-site health services in partnership with local providers, semi-private rooms with bathrooms, showers and personal storage, safe isolation spaces for sick guests to recover and prevent community spread, showers and laundry services for community members not entering the shelter and private meeting spaces for partner agencies.
Executive Director Avery Lenhart said the new facility represents a major improvement from the organization’s previous setup.
“We are so fortunate to be able to offer shelter in double-occupancy rooms, each with their own bathroom and shower,” Lenhart said. “Guests will benefit from having privacy and dignity during their shelter stay. This is very different from our old model, which was basically one big room with beds everywhere.”
The building also includes a cold-weather drop-in center, allowing those without shelter to come inside on frigid nights for warmth, showers and a safe place to rest.
“Having this flexible space means we can provide services no matter what the need is,” Lenhart said.
Perhaps the most uniquely beneficial service is the Technology Resource Center where guests can apply for documents, conduct job searches and build digital skills — all of which are crucial for success and growth in our digital age. By teaching the importance of digital literacy and helping guests utilize digital resources, Project HOPE of Eastern Connecticut is providing their guests with critical tools to thrive.
Lenhart said the center reinforces Project HOPE’s philosophy of empowerment.
“We really push the idea of housing with our guests,” she said. “Upon their arrival, we explain that we are a program that works to help people end their homeless situations. Having resources like computers and help to use them will encourage them to move forward.”
The center will be staffed by volunteers from local colleges to help guests search for apartments, apply for jobs and access additional resources.
The shelter is located across the street from Generations Family Health Center, adjacent to Windham Hospital and within walking distance of Windham Interfaith Ministry and Covenant Soup Kitchen. These partnerships play a key role in Project HOPE’s mission.
“In our new admin building, we will have an exam room that will be staffed by our healthcare partners — Generations and Hartford Healthcare,” Lenhart said. “It will be for people who may need COVID or flu testing or shots, diabetes care or other routine medical services.”
Additionally, the shelter is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round.
“We are committed to the idea of being compassionate while also empowering our guests,” Lenhart said. “We recognize that everyone’s story is different and that, by really listening, we can help people in the way that works best for them.”
“In Connecticut, the largest group of people experiencing homelessness is currently adults without children, with some notable increases among older people. In the past year, homelessness among people ages 55 to 64 increased 20%, and among those 64 and older, the increase was 33%,” Lenhart said.
Looking ahead, Lenhart said Project HOPE’s goals go far beyond this new facility.
“Getting our new spaces up and running is huge for us and we are just now learning how to exist in our new building,” she said. “I would love to create a transitional housing model where tenants learn all of the aspects of renting, such as how to work well with roommates and how to live within a budget. My staff and I have also talked about opening a business that would employ our guests to give them work experience. We have a lot of possibilities.”
Since 2003, Project HOPE of Eastern Connecticut has been dedicated to providing temporary refuge in times of crisis, aiming to “help individuals overcome homelessness, empowering them to reconnect to their communities and reclaim their lives,” according to their website. The organization focuses on providing a space where guests can “reclaim privacy, dignity and respect.”