‘A stressful environment.’ Fresno-area shelters impacted by demand, canceled fundraisers
Fresno homeless shelters and organizations serving vulnerable populations — such as victims of domestic violence — brace for an increased need, along with “extra challenges,” amid fears over the spread of coronavirus.
Some local shelters are taking a financial hit as fundraising events have been canceled. And at least two local shelters grapple with a need for cleaning supplies and toilet paper.
None report any people staying in their facilities experiencing coronavirus symptoms.
The Marjaree Mason Center, which recently had to cancel a fundraiser, saw a “significant increase in call volume” from people seeking services, said Nicole Linder, its executive director.
The center wasn’t immediately able to provide statistics on the number of calls that were received over the weekend.
The increase in domestic violence incidents is expected nationwide, Linder said. People staying home for self-quarantine and under increased stress could also play a role.
“We are living in a stressful environment right now,” she said during an interview Monday.
As a result, the center is ramping up its efforts and its crisis hotline will remain operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“We are here for those who need help,” Linder said.
Matthew Dildine, chief executive officer at the Fresno Rescue Mission, said his organization also expects to see an increase in people needing their services, especially in the number of individuals going to the Rescue Mission for meals.
“I think in times of crisis like this, a situation of a virus or a financial crisis, which this is also becoming, we typically see our numbers go up,” he said.
But the Rescue Mission, like the Marjaree Mason Center, had to cancel a fundraising event.
“I think that’s definitely a concern also moving forward,” he said of the financial impact of the current situation on nonprofits and individuals.
For now, Dildine said, one of the biggest challenges for the Rescue Mission is the number of children it’s hosting. On Monday, he estimated it had over 100 children across all campuses.
Having to tell children they have to quarantine in a place not designed for quarantine can be challenging, Dildine said.
“That’s probably one of the most difficult things,” he said. “We have a ton of kids.”
Impact of social distancing
At the Marjaree Mason Center, areas that don’t allow for social distancing have been closed down.
Following the social distancing guidelines might mean a decrease in the number of people some shelters can take.
“Our bed space will be following recommended distancing guidelines,” Dildine said, which could mean a decrease in the number of available beds.
Sarah Dawson, executive director for Evangel Home, a crisis shelter for women and children, said the shelter was full Monday. The shelter has 16 beds.
Shelter staff are trying to stay on top of guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the state. “I think anybody who is going to go through this is going to have challenges,” Dawson said. “We are going to figure it out. But yeah, definitely extra challenges.”
Toilet paper, cleaning supplies in demand
The Marjaree Mason Center and the Evangel Home are experiencing a shortage of cleaning supplies and toilet paper to meet the needs of the people staying in their facilities.
Dawson said people who have extra supplies should consider donating to the shelters.
“Anything that cleans would be awesome,” she said.
Zachary D. Darrah, chief executive officer at the Poverello House, said the organization’s board of directors had instructed him not to make comments to the media at this time.
Jordan J. Scott, spokesman for Fresno County, in a statement said it’s important to note that the county has only had two confirmed cases of COVID-19, and at least thus far, “shelters and the homeless population have not been directly impacted.”
“However, considering the evolving situation along with the guidance of the CDC and directives from the state, we are collectively working with our partners to establish strategies to address any challenges being faced by our local shelters and homeless population,” he said in the statement to The Bee. “We continue our work to canvas and survey those on the street, we are working with shelters, medical providers and others to assess housing needs, capacity and staffing, identify and address the needs of the most medically vulnerable, and share information and resources across our teams.”
Scott said the situation can change by the day, and officials recognize the needs in the community only increase under circumstances, such as this one.
“We remain in constant communication with our partners across the county to ensure we’re identifying, anticipating and addressing any concerns that arise or may develop,” he said.
For people hoping to provide supplies to the homeless population, Dildine recommends they go through one of the local organizations that works with this population in order to minimize the risk of infection.
If an infection gets to that population, he said “we know that it will be a very scary situation.”
.jpg)