Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Homeless Shelter topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Local shelter opens seasonal beds; pantry serving record numbers, pastor says
Summary
Pastor Robert Barrett told the council Don's Place shelter opened Nov. 1 with five residents selected after interviews and described measures taken after overnight staffing was cut; he also reported a record pantry day serving 77 individuals and weekly food costs of about $1,000–$1,500.
Robert Barrett, pastor at Yallops Community Presbyterian Church, updated the council on operations at Don's Place shelter and the community pantry during public comment.
Barrett said the shelter opened for the season on Nov. 1 and that interviewers chose five residents from 15 applicants. Because long-term shelter in a small unit proved difficult last year, overnight staffing was not continued this season; Barrett said staff instead use an on-call manager at night, new cameras and resident cell phones to manage safety. He added, “We have opened for the season on November 1.”
Barrett also reported the pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday and that one recent day saw 77 people served, each receiving roughly three days of food. He told council the pantry spends about $1,000 to $1,500 per week on food in addition to donations from a Newport Grocery Outlet location. Barrett and other speakers asked the council to continue support and to monitor funding lines given rising demand.
