BELFAST — The Belfast Homeless Coalition met again Nov. 17, to discuss the next steps in the process of helping Belfast’s homeless population. While the long term goal remains to open an actual shelter in Belfast, the group realizes a realistic time frame for getting a shelter up and running is more likely to be a couple of years rather than a matter of months. The focus in the immediate future remains establishing a warming center in Belfast for those in need of shelter this winter.

The group has reached out to other homeless shelters in an effort to help navigate the complex process of first gaining nonprofit status, followed by the actual logistics of opening a homeless shelter.

Stephanie Primm, Executive Director of the Knox County Homeless Coalition and Hospitality House, is set to meet with members of the Belfast Homeless Coalition Dec. 1. The group will tour the shelter and learn how Hospitality House navigated the complex rules and regulations involved in establishing a homeless shelter, as well as the more day to day issues.

The Knox County Coalition is already helping Belfast’s homeless by taking on clients in the area, though they have recently assigned a caseworker to deal exclusively with Waldo County’s most in need population.

Other entities have also reached out to offer their support to the grassroots effort, including the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office, Our Town Belfast, Volunteers of America Northern New England, and the Greater Belfast Area Ministerial Food Cupboard. Additionally Belfast’s City Council and town manager have also offered their support and encouragement.

Terry Baldwin, Chief Operations Officer of Volunteers of America’s Northern New England branch, attended the Nov. 16 meeting to lend her personal support, as well as that of her organization. Baldwin said the local branch, located on Booth Drive in Belfast, is interested in getting more involved in the community, and specifically with those at risk and belonging to needier populations.

Members of several local churches have attended the meetings, taking information back to their respective groups after each gathering. A representative of The Greater Belfast Area Ministerial Food Cupboard attended the meeting and spoke about how quickly members of the community can go from housed to homeless due to a lone rough patch. The woman told those attending the meeting she was “very excited” to find there is a group of people willing to focus on Belfast’s homeless.

While the group may be a year or two from a shelter, the planned warming center will provide a place for those in need to connect with services and resources that can assist them, something that is currently difficult due to a lack of a central gathering place.

The Belfast Homeless Coalition is currently exploring the possibility of local churches banding together to offer rotating space for a warming center. There is also discussion of the possibility of working with other local non-profit agencies in an effort to combine resources and connect with already established citizens in need.

Anyone interested in learning more about Belfast’s Homeless Coalition is encouraged to attend their next meeting, which will be held in a conference room at Volunteers of America’s Edward J. Reynolds House at 6 p.m. Nov. 30. For those who are unable to attend but are interested in learning more can request to be added to the mailing list via email.  

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com