Community Corner
Grassroots Cold Weather Shelter Starts Nov. 19
Faith communities and Merriweather Post Pavilion provide emergency shelter when people have no where to go
The 16th season of the Grassroots cold weather shelter program begins Monday, Nov. 19, and will run through March 24. The cold weather shelter program, primarily housed in Howard County’s faith communities, is provided for people who are unable to find emergency shelter when Grassroots is full.
Last year, 69 people participated in the Cold Weather Shelter program, including 10 children. Shelter participants receive additional services during their stay, including assistance with food stamps, medical assistance, case management referrals, preparing resumes and tax returns and getting a social security card.
This year, 16 local faith communities and Merriweather Post Pavilion are hosting the shelter for one or two weeks. Their volunteers provide meals, transportation, clothes, medicine and laundry services, and Grassroots provides on-site staff, management and coordination.
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This year’s participating congregations are Atholton Seventh Day Adventist Church, Bethany United Methodist Church, Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia Community Church, The Church at Covenant Park, First Presbyterian Church of Howard County, Glen Mar United Methodist Church, Grace Community Church, Kittamaqundi Community Church, Linden-Linthicum United Methodist Church, New Hope Lutheran Church, Owen Brown Interfaith Center, St. John Baptist Church, St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church and Temple Isaiah.
Grassroots provides 24-hour crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and support to individuals and families with a mental health, substance use or homelessness crisis.
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Last year Grassroots’ emergency and winter sheltering programs helped 945 men, women and children to achieve stable housing. Another 1,083 people were served at the Day Resource Center, where the chronically homeless have the opportunity to pursue a new path in life.
In addition, Grassroots’ crisis counselors had 2,664 face-to-face contacts last year, received 38,914 calls on the Hotline, and went out on 881 Mobile Crisis Team community emergencies, such as traumatic death events, intense family conflict, psychiatric emergencies and risk of suicide.
Grassroots is located on Freetown Road in Columbia. For information, call 410-531-6006, or visit www.grassrootscrisis.org