Loss of a job, a tragic loss of housing, substance abuse problems or mental health issues are some reasons a person or family may become homeless.

By Amy L. Zitka , Middletown Press 8-16-04

Officials have seen a rising number of individuals needing a place to stay, but many times there are more bodies than beds.

Within Middletown , there is a shelter, a transitional housing program for homeless adults, an emergency shelter for homeless families, and an emergency drop-in center during the winter and extreme weather conditions.

"There’s never been a tapering off. The pressures continue," said Peter Nucci, president of The Connection Inc. The 32-year-old agency runs the Eddy Shelter, an emergency shelter for the homeless on LaBella Circle on the Connecticut Valley Hospital campus.

The Eddy Shelter opened in 1991 and has been at its current location since 1992. It is the only year-round shelter for single men and women in Middlesex County .

Last year the shelter was only able to provide for 344 guests, having had to turn away more than 600 people because of a lack of beds, said Jerry Dillenbeck, the shelter and supportive living coordinator. The Eddy Shelter has a total of 30 beds -- 24 for men and six for women, he said.

"We’re seeing a lot of people," Nucci said. "The place is always at capacity."

There were 106 first-time admissions into the shelter last year, Dillenbeck said.

"We had several more admissions of different guests," he said.

"A lot of people migrate from other areas," said Tamara Lee, senior program coordinator, who has been with the program 11 years. "There are a lot of new faces, and repeaters are the big issues. Some I recognize by name."

Some people traveling through the area may use the shelter, but the priority is to serve Middletown and Middlesex County , senior director Randy Braren said.

"Most (guests) come themselves and are not referred by an agency," Nucci said. The average age range for those using the facility are between 35 and 50, he said, adding approximately 58 percent that come to the shelter are in that range. "Some are younger and older."

Approximately 20 percent staying at the shelter are disabled, while some guests are retired, Nucci said. Some are working full time, while others are working part time.

There are so many reasons why a person may become homeless, said Lee. Among those are domestic violence, a family situation, loss of income or loss of a job.

"They’re ordinary people who are down on their luck," she said. Those who are at the shelter and are working full time are doing construction and blue collar work for minimum wage, Lee said adding several go to Labor Ready for employment. Others that are working part time use the temporary employment services.

"It’s a cross between a pinch of income and cost of housing," said Dillenbeck.

"Finding work is not a problem," he said. "Finding work that is able to pay for housing is."

Approximately 98 percent of the guests are leaving the facility with some kind of place to go, whether it is treatment, housing or another program, he said.

"Chronic problems cause chronic homelessness. It’s best dealt with supportive housing," Nucci said. The Connection developed Liberty Commons on Main Street , as well as other sites scattered throughout the area as a transition for those who still need support.

"The cure for homelessness is not to build more shelters, but to build more continual care," said Braren.

Guests can stay up to 30 days as long as they are working on an action plan to determine and attempt to remedy some of the contributing factors to the situation, Dillenbeck said. Some may stay longer if needed, he added.

The shelter offers three meals per day, housing counseling, mental health and social service referrals, transportation and employment assistance, health care, laundry facilities and spiritual counseling.

Among some of The Connection programs are supportive housing for families and halfway houses for people discharged from the state correctional system. The Connection is also in charge of various alternatives to incarceration programs with residential centers for people referred by the criminal justice system.

Liberty Commons was The Connection’s first supportive housing project, which opened about nine years ago. Within the city’s North End, The Connection bought and refurbished the old Arriwani Hotel at the corner of Main and Liberty streets. It became a national model.

Hartford-based Mercy Housing & Shelter, a Sisters of Mercy-sponsored non-profit organization, runs the Shepherd Home at 112 Bow Lane , located on the Connecticut Valley Hospital campus.

The Shepherd Home is a supportive transitional living program housing 70 homeless single adults. Residents need to be at least 18 years old, and they may stay for up to 18 months. Residents start in suites of two or three people, and then move to single rooms. A full meal service, clothing and personal necessities are provided.

Residents work with caseworkers to address and correct underlying problems which could make a person vulnerable to homelessness, according to the Mercy Housing Web site. Caseworkers pay attention to the areas of substance abuse, illiteracy, poor job skills and emotional problems.

The Middlesex Central Connecticut Chapter of the American Red Cross operates Middlesex County ’s only emergency shelter that serves homeless families. The family shelter, established in 1988, has one of the highest success rates in the state for moving homeless families into permanent housing, officials said.

A new temporary shelter site, with the assistance of volunteers, began this winter.

Fabian’s Emergency Drop-in Center , located in the library of the Church of the Holy Trinity at 381 Main St. , gives individuals the opportunity to be inside that may be at high risk for serious medical crises or death due to exposure, according to social service officials. The opening of the center is dependent on the weather conditions.

The idea of a drop-in center came from members of the Supportive Housing Coalition a couple of years ago. It was organized to be run by trained volunteers, several of whom had been homeless at one point in their lives.

During last winter, Fabian’s gave people the opportunity to get indoors when the temperatures dropped below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

The center would open under other weather conditions such as severe snow, hurricanes or thunderstorms if they threatened the community.

When the center is open, the hours usually are 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. unless unusual circumstances exist, according to officials.

The center is named after Fabian Godin, who had Tourette’s Syndrome and was homeless because of his disease. He died nearly two years ago, and had once stayed in the church’s shelter.

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