FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) – Today Mayor Tom Henry announced that with the help of the city’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services a $10,000 Community Development Block Grant will go to help provide overnight accommodations for homeless single women.
Temperatures are expected to reach dangerous levels this week, the city is making those in need a top priority. Christian Praise and Fellowship Church will provide the service of sheltering homeless single women. The Rescue Mission provides overnight shelter for homeless men and Just Neighbors Interfaith Homeless Network provides overnight shelter for homeless families.
The leading provider of a warming shelter in Fort Wayne is the Rescue Mission. The Rescue mission also oversees the intake of various types of people and families that need shelter. Anyone that needs shelter is asked to first start at the Rescue Mission before any of the other organizations as they will help direct you to the proper place.
Highlights of the Winter Contingency/Emergency Shelter Plan:
Partner Agencies agree to:
Primary Provider – Starting at 40 Degrees
The Rescue Mission will be the primary provider for the program offering shelter and food to individuals needing assistance. Overnight accommodations will be provided at the Mission for adult men. The Rescue Mission will request assistance of plan partners as needed to provide safe and comprehensive shelter.
Secondary Provider – Starting at 32 Degrees
Just Neighbors Interfaith Homeless Network will provide overnight shelter for families with children as space allows. When families arrive at the Rescue Mission requesting shelter, and no one appears to be under the influence, staff will contact Just Neighbors to arrange for emergency accommodations. Just Neighbors will not be able to provide transportation to their facility.
Secondary Provider – Starting at 20 Degrees
Christian Praise and Fellowship Church will provide overnight shelter for single women. When an individual arrives at the Rescue Mission requesting shelter, staff will contact Christian Praise and Fellowship Church to arrange for emergency accommodations.
Secondary Provider – Starting at 10 Degrees
When the temperature drops below 10 degrees, The Salvation Army will serve as a backup provider of overnight accommodations to men, women and children when requested to do so by the Rescue Mission. The Rescue Mission will provide transportation for clients to the Salvation Army as needed.
Secondary Provider – Starting at 10 Degrees
When the temperature drops below 10 degrees, The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department, a division of the City of Fort Wayne, will serve as a backup provider of daytime warming centers for men, women and children when requested to do so by the Rescue Mission. The Rescue Mission will provide transportation for clients to the designated warming centers as needed.
Technical Services Provider – On an on-call basis
Park Center will provide Outreach Team members to help connect clients to services. Any of the partner agencies may contact the Park Center outreach staff directly to request assistance.
Communication Provider – 211 Resource Center, operated by United Way of Allen County will direct those in need on how to access services provided by the plan.
Financial Considerations – If our community experiences a difficult winter with severe weather, the City of Fort Wayne reserves the right to have flexibility to possibly provide financial resources that would assist program partners with staffing of facilities on an as-needed basis.
Logistics – The Rescue Mission will serve as the point of entry for all clients and that intake may be in-person at the Rescue Mission or by phoning Rescue Mission staff for instructions.
Fort Wayne’s Winter Contingency/Emergency Shelter Plan is in place and is a partnership between the City of Fort Wayne, the Rescue Mission, Just Neighbors Interfaith Homeless Network, Christian Praise and Fellowship Church, the Salvation Army, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department, Park Center, the 211 Resource Center, operated by United Way of Allen County, and Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana.
