CHH Community Partnership Provides Winter Shelter

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital is partnering with The Gathering Place and the Northwestern Connecticut YMCA to provide a cold weather shelter in Winsted for homeless individuals and families.

Brain Mattiello, senior system director for social impact, strategy and integration at Hartford HealthCare, said the former emergency room space was vacant, and he heard that the groups were having trouble finding an affordable space for a shelter this winter. With CHH leadership approval, the community partners secured town approval.

“There was a real concern about finding an appropriate space, and it was gratifying to know our vacant space could fill the need,” Mattiello says.

At a recent press conference, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, state Reps. Michelle Cook and Jay Case drew awareness to the need for such cold weather shelters around the state.

High demand

The location, on Spencer Street, opened in early December and can house up to 39 individuals. Some days, more than 20 people use the facility and demand is expected to grow.

The site is part of a state network of cold weather overflow shelters which help handle the higher demand for warm shelter in the wintertime. CHH Emergency Department patients who face housing access issues can be referred, and people can call 211 for information on emergency housing.

Learn more about the cold weather shelter and how you can help here.