Family Promise plans Nesquehoning warming shelter as county warns of funding shortfalls

Family Promise outlined plans for a warming shelter in Nesquehoning that it hopes to open Dec. 1, saying the program will operate 24 hours, use intake and case-management through 2-1-1, and initially prioritize a small cohort of clients for intensive services.

“Kathy” of Family Promise said the organization currently has 32 people in shelter and about 140 people on its wait list, and that the warming shelter model will aim to serve roughly 12 overnight clients so case managers can focus on helping people into sustainable housing. “We have a 140 on our wait list currently,” Kathy said. “We’re looking at December 1, because our construction and everything should be over by then.”

The Family Promise representative said the shelter will register guests via 2-1-1 and perform intakes prior to placement; the organization also plans daytime drop-in services, community meals and a possible Thanksgiving dinner. The group characterized the warming shelter as an emergency shelter that will be programmatic rather than an unrestricted “code blue” overnight facility: “It’s going to be a 24 hour program…people sign up. They’re going to have to go through an intake process and commit to…being in a program type setting,” the representative said.

Task force members raised gaps and operational concerns: Tammy of Carbon County Aging asked whether the Nesquehoning site could handle overflow nights, and Heather asked how people without phone or internet access would preregister with 2-1-1. Kathy said the shelter would not broadly advertise as an open emergency shelter and that referrals would come through established intake routes; she also said Family Promise can run a daytime drop-in site for people who need a warm place without screening.

Carbon County Action Committee (CCAC) staff reported rising demand for prevention services. Jana said the CCAC received 19 homeless-prevention calls since the previous meeting, completed enrollments for 20 families since Sept. 18, received six referrals from 2-1-1 and is providing case management to 53 households. “There are so many families living on the edge,” Jana said, urging focus on preventing evictions because households losing SNAP benefits or other supports can quickly fall behind on rent.

County officials and service providers also warned that state and federal funding uncertainty is already constraining operations. Commissioner Wayne Notestein and county staff said the county is stretching local cash reserves and that some programs have not been paid because state funds have been delayed. “We’re lucky; mid-December, we’ll be out of funding, if not sooner,” a county official said. The county has authorized temporary internal financing to avoid immediate layoffs and service shutdowns but staff said continuing operations beyond December will be difficult without incoming state or federal payments.

A Continuum of Care staff member told the task force HUD delayed its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and that a reissued NOFO may change program priorities and reduce funding for permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing. “There seems to be a great deal of misconception…permanent support housing really does provide a bridge,” the speaker said, and warned that proposed cuts could create a “huge vacuum” in services for people with disabilities. Task force members were urged to contact state and federal lawmakers to explain the local impact of changing Continuum of Care funding.

Separately, Rob announced a landlord engagement meeting at 4 p.m. Nov. 13 at St. Luke’s Lehighton campus to recruit landlords and property managers to participate in housing solutions. The task force scheduled its next full meeting for Nov. 21 at 9 a.m. at the county elections office and said a remote link will be provided for those who cannot attend in person.

Advocates emphasized multiple near-term pressure points: increased need among families and seniors, reduced food-bank distributions (including cuts to items such as milk highlighted by local food-bank partners), limits on fuel and meal deliveries to senior centers, and the risk that delayed reimbursements from state agencies will force local providers to curtail services. Several speakers asked the task force to coordinate broader community brainstorming—including representatives from business, faith-based organizations and local government—to identify sites, staffing and funding for overnight cold-weather sheltering and other emergency interventions.