AMHERST — During the cold-weather months, Craig’s Doors: A Home Association, Inc. operates a shelter called Craig’s Place. There, homeless individuals can stay warm, get a meal, take a shower and receive assistance in finding a job and housing.
But at the beginning of May each year Craig’s Place, located in the First Baptist Church, 434 North Pleasant St., closes for the season, leaving guests to find their own accommodations.
This year, though, some services will continue to be offered at a trailer in the parking lot near the First Baptist Church, if the town agrees.
Executive Director Rebekah Wilder said the agency is envisioning a year-round resource center that will focus on helping people search for work and homes.
“One of our goals is to have a place during the summer where people can come to connect with our guests,” Wilder said.
The plans to use the trailer as a resource center, as well as for office, meeting and storage space, will come before the Planning Board, which meets at Town Room at Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. on May 31.
While there are many options in Amherst for people struggling with housing and food insecurity, including the Amherst Survival Center and Amherst Community Connections, Wilder said the familiarity with the shelter will be appreciated.
She said the resource center can ensure consistent help throughout the year, possibly opening daily at 8 a.m., with the same case managers providing assistance and putting on periodic workshops.
Wilder sees the trailer as the continuation of a successful season that began last November. Seven guests were placed into permanent housing and one guest was accepted into the Grove Street Inn in Northampton.
“It’s exciting, but it’s really hard work,” Wilder said.
Wilder said challenges remain, with some guests suffering from drug and alcohol addictions and depression, causing them to return to living on the streets, the woods or “couch surfing” with friends.
“It is really tough to get people off the streets” Wilder said.
Wilder said she appreciates that Valley Community Development Corp. is pursuing an enhanced single-room occupancy project in Amherst, which would mean lodging as well as support services.
She’s optimistic that improvements are happening, having seen fewer disruptive interactions this spring between homeless people and visitors in downtown Amherst than last year.
But Wilder remains concerned about a $200,000 annual earmark for Craig’s Place. The state funds were at risk of being removed by Gov. Charlie Baker until last December.
Wilder said she isn’t sure whether funding will again be in jeopardy after July 1, so marketing and financing interns this summer will develop a fundraising plan to supplement the annual Shelter Sunday appeal in the fall.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
