Kalamazoo is working to organize a shelter program for people who are homeless this winter. Combined, the city and Kalamazoo county are putting about $700,000 toward the shelters.
Andrea Tramel is the development director for Ministry with Community, a nonprofit daytime shelter and resource center working on the project. She said it will be able to offer shelter to 80 people in the facility, beginning December 1 and lasting until the end of March. Their services will specifically target single adults in need of a place to go during the harsh winter season.
“The need is just great,” Tramel said. “And if there’s a need in the community, we step up to provide that need.” She added that it’s important for the community to have shelters set up before cold weather hits.
Ministry with Community is working with several other nonprofits, including Continuum of Care, Dignity in Motion, and Housing Resources Inc., to provide resources and facilities for the shelters.
Tramel said the emergency shelter program is temporary, but will give the organizations an idea of what can be done for future years.
“Anyone can come in,” Tramel continued. She said that one of their priorities is to provide a place where transgender people feel comfortable to stay.
“We provide a safe place to be that’s warm,” Tramel said. She added that Ministry with Community will be offering nutritional dinner services as well.
“It just goes back to safety, for everyone,” she continued. Last year, a homeless Kalamazoo resident named Tammy Christie was found frozen to death in an abandoned car as a result of freezing temperatures and a lack of shelter.
“I think about her often,” Tramel said. “And I want to make sure that we don’t have a situation like that again this winter. We had some cold nights this last week and I didn’t sleep real well, because I know there were people outside in these elements.”
Homelessness is a complex issue, which means there’s a lot of systemic issues to tackle as well, Tramel said. She hopes the shelters can provide some sense of stability for people who are homeless during the harsh winter months.
