NORTHAMPTON — A 24-hour emergency shelter opened Wednesday afternoon at Northampton High School, the city announced on Wednesday morning.
The Grove Street Inn and the Interfaith Shelter — downtown shelters run by ServiceNet — are closing, and guests will instead go to the emergency site. There are 48 cots in the makeshift shelter, according to the city’s fire chief Jon Davine.
“ServiceNet has been working tirelessly to keep the residents of its two overnight shelters safe since the onset of COVID-19,” a statement from the Mayor David Narkewicz’s office reads, “but current sleeping spaces within those two facilities are inadequate to allow for proper social distancing.”
Guests and shelter workers will be screened. “Upon entry of the shelter, staff and shelter residents will be screened by a predetermined set of health questions,” the statement says, “and if any markers for illness are present they will not be allowed into the shelter and will be directed for medical evaluation and isolation at an alternative location.”
Many people experiencing homelessness told the Gazette for a recent article that with the shutdown of businesses and other public buildings such as the library, it’s much harder to find places to hang out, warm up, sit, rest, and go to the bathroom.
The city announced Friday that it was looking for volunteers for a shelter at Northampton High School. It is still looking for volunteers, according to Wednesday’s statement, and donations can be made online at northamptonma.gov/COVID19 or by dropping off a check at the municipal office building behind City Hall.
Additionally, the statement said, “ServiceNet is urgently in need of staff to support the emergency shelter and is hiring. If you or anyone you know is interested in this critical work, please visit www.servicenet.org/jobs.”
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.
With reporting from Kevin Gutting.