Church at the Park’s Village of Hope in Salem has expanded to provide more shelter and support for unsheltered seniors. The expansion includes 16 new microshelters, allowing the site to increase its capacity from 80 to 112 people at a time.

Addressing Senior Homelessness

The expansion aims to specifically address rising senior homelessness in the community. Many of the existing shelter residents are over 40, and some are over 55. The new beds will go to seniors who are being driven into homelessness at a faster rate due to factors like fixed incomes, rising rents, and cuts to healthcare programs.

Church at the Park CEO DJ Vincent emphasized the importance of the expansion, citing the organization’s waitlist of over 3,000 people. Vincent said that the expansion will provide a safe and supportive environment for seniors, including those who are experiencing homelessness for the first time in their lives.

The expansion was funded by $800,000 in private funds, largely from the Lawrence E. Tokarski Charitable Trust. The site has also added two more staff, a case manager and peer support specialist, to help residents get into housing and access necessary services.

Supporting Residents

Case managers at the site work to get residents into housing and help them get social security cards, birth certificates, and other necessary documents. Other services include help getting into substance use treatment, expunging eligible criminal records, support applying to jobs, and helping to reconnect with their kids.

The expansion also includes improvements to the site’s infrastructure, such as wheelchair-accessible raised walkways, more bathrooms, washers and dryers, and a new community space for residents to cook and mingle.

Original reporting: Salem Reporter — read the source article.