AMHERST — A day site for homeless people to stay warm, keep out of the elements and receive limited case management has opened at the edge of downtown Amherst.
The Warming Place, as it is known, recently began operating on the upper level of VFW Earl Sanders Post 754 Hall at 457 Main St., following the approval of an occupancy permit from the town.
Run by Craig’s Doors: A Home Association, the project is a spinoff of the Craig’s Place homeless shelter, which is based this season at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 857 North Pleasant St.
Craig’s Doors Executive Director Kevin Noonan said the warming site was put together through diligent work by Jeremiah Blankenbaker, program manager for Craig’s Doors, and VFW Quartermaster Kevin Dyba, who also works part time for the agency.
The Warming Place will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through April 30, coinciding with the shelter’s season. Some case managers will also be able to drop by.
“We will be in touch with Health Services for the Homeless to offer some space for them to meet with guests,” Noonan said.
Guests will have access to the internet and coffee and tea, and meals will also be available.
Like Craig’s Place, The Warming Place will employ a behavior-based admissions policy, meaning those who are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs will still be welcome, so long as they don’t disrupt others or actively use substances while there.
This marks the first time that Craig’s Doors has a semi-permanent day site. In the past, some services have been provided either at the shelter or in a resource trailer in a parking lot behind the First Baptist Church. That was where the overnight shelter operated through the spring of 2020.
Without a day site, people staying at the shelter have often used town buildings, including the Jones Library, or buildings near the University of Massachusetts campus, such as the Newman Center, to be out of the elements during the daylight hours.
Noonan said people can call 413-256-0704, ext. 8 to get in touch with the site.
