By Anne King
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD – While Springfield has been experiencing a mild winter so far, it is about to take a bitter turn for some of the most disadvantaged.
Helping Hands of Springfield is cutting the hours for its shelter and warming center as it faces budget cuts from the state, said Rod Lane, the homeless shelter’s executive director.
Lane said the shelter will reduce hours, making people leave at 6 a.m., instead of 8:30 a.m. Furthermore, the warming center will be closed on weekends.
Springfield residents will likely see more homeless in emergency rooms and in other public places, such as the library, trying to keep warm, Lane said. But not having a place to warm up also could increase the risks for the mentally ill, who might not have a place to go or have the ability to decide to seek shelter elsewhere.
Nationwide, about 250,000 mentally ill people live on the streets, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless.
The overnight shelter will remain open, Lane said, which should minimize the cases of frostbite and other issues. But a complete closure still looms without a budget, although it would be summer before such an impact would be felt.
Helping Hands has been making an impact on the Springfield homeless community for 27 years. It started in a rented room near the YWCA, offering the homeless warmth, a cup of coffee and a place to rest. In the years that followed, Helping Hands grew into the organization that it is today.
When Helping Hands first began in 1989, it had no reliable way for funding its future. Now, in 2016, it does have the funding needed.
The shelter helps 40 to 60 individuals through its Threshold & Support Services, 95 individuals through Stable S.M.I.L.E. Program, and 24 through Springfield Hearth House, according to the website. Some of these programs require clients to hold partial financial responsibility, helping the cost of providing these services manageable for donors.
Lane encouraged people to help out. Financial gifts would be great, but one can also volunteer at the shelter’s front hub. That volunteering can keep the shelter open longer.
“The most obvious thing they need is safe and affordable housing,” Lane said.
Those interested in volunteering can learn more about Helping Hands at its website: http://www.helpinghandsofspringfield.org/.
Anne King can be reached at [email protected].