UCM hosted a volunteer-run extreme cold weather shelter in our vestry the last two winters. Our threshold for opening the shelter was nights when temperatures reached 10 degrees or below (including wind chill). Last winter, the shelter opened for 45 nights.
After the conclusion of last winter’s season, the Executive Team debriefed how it all went with the coordinator and advisory group. Early in the season, there were a number of concerns that emerged and that were addressed with the development of written protocols. These protocols included the expectation that no shelter guests would be admitted if overly inebriated; that no alcohol or drugs would be consumed on premises; and that there would be no tolerance for violence or destruction of property. There were a couple of occasions early on that the police needed to be called. After the new protocols were put in place, problematic behavior was not a major issue. Also, funds that had been donated to the shelter were used to take care of any damages. (There was one significant event early on and otherwise nothing of note.)
An ongoing issue that we discussed with the shelter advisory group was use of the School Street entrance by shelter guests which interfered with other building use. We let the advisory group know that if we were to host the shelter again, we’d need to come up with a solution that keeps that entrance clear until others are finished using the space. We let them know that this might mean adjusting the times of the shelter.
Early in this church year, we began having conversations again with the shelter advisory group about hosting the extreme cold weather shelter at UCM. We communicated a list of our needs which included adjusting the timing of the shelter; finding an alternate location for shelter check-in prior to 8pm or the opening of the shelter; hiring a cleaning service to clean the morning after a shelter night; and some other practical concerns. The group was in agreement with all of these requests.
In addition, the state has allocated funding for emergency cold weather shelters this winter which is being administered by Vermont Interfaith Action. The advisory group secured a grant for the Montpelier shelter. They have also formed a nonprofit organization, Montpelier Cold.
While all these conversations were taking place, Rev. Beth Ann Maier, deacon at Christ Episcopal Church, was searching for another site to host a nightly “overflow” winter shelter akin to the one Good Samaritan Haven had operated at the Elks Club. After many attempts to find a location, including state-owned buildings and private properties on the Barre-Montpelier Road, no site turned up.
After UCM was approved again for a waiver from the fire marshal to host the extreme cold weather shelter, Beth Ann asked whether the ET would consider permitting the nightly overflow shelter to be hosted at UCM as no other suitable site had been found and December 1, the usual opening of the overflow shelter, was right around the corner.
In addition, it has become clear that the new Good Samaritan Haven shelter on Barre Street will not be open until at least the end of March 2026 and will only have 18 beds. Meanwhile, there are over 200 unsheltered people in central Vermont. Beth Ann also shared her concern about the emergency extreme cold weather shelter being overrun without there being an overflow shelter in place.
Beth Ann had already been in touch with the Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity to find out if monies were available and had also been in touch with Capstone about serving as a fiscal agent. In addition, she had spoken with Rhonna Gable, the former site manager at the Elks Club shelter, about potentially staffing the nightly overflow shelter. Beth Ann also continued to pursue other possible options including asking all of the churches in Montpelier whether they could possibly host the emergency cold weather shelter and/or an evening warming shelter. (For various reasons, including unrepaired flood damage and not being approved by the fire marshal, no other churches are able to host an overnight shelter.)
After some deliberation, the ET said yes to hosting the nightly overflow shelter. We included a number of requirements regarding covering expenses and also additional insurance. It was noted that a nightly shelter would likely have the same guests over the course of the winter as opposed to the cold weather shelter which had more variability. Children were not permitted at the cold weather shelter the last two years and will not be permitted for the nightly shelter. Also, we are working on an Memorandum Of Understanding that will be in place with all the organizational parties involved that outlines staffing requirements and building use policies.
As of December 11, Capstone is still working on securing the grant from OEO. For now, we have said yes to hosting the emergency extreme cold weather shelter as needed until the nightly overflow shelter is operational.
Finally, the board of Montpelier Cold has made a request to the City to provide a space for the extreme cold weather shelter. This was on the City Council agenda on December 10, and it seems that space in the basement of City Hall will be made available.
We acknowledge that this situation is not ideal for anyone involved, and yet we see this as ministry aligned with our church mission. We also know that ensuring that no one faces the threat of death due to lack of housing is an issue we as an entire city (state and country) need to tackle together.
Our congregation has been incredibly generous with its resources to support our unhoused neighbors as best we can, including contributing close to $20,000 last fall to keep people housed in motel rooms after the General Assistance motel shelter program changed its eligibility requirements. Now, with shelter options diminished while the number of people unhoused continues to rise, we are able to once again use the resources we have–in this case, our building–to provide life-saving ministry.
Throughout the winter months, the congregation will retain full use of the building for church activities and programs. Cots and bedding will be fully packed up each morning and the vestry will be cleaned and available for use. The nightly overflow shelter will operate through the end of March 2026. Finally, we have not made a commitment beyond this church year to host an overnight shelter. The visioning and strategic planning process the Governing Board is leading is a wonderful opportunity for you to share your thoughts about the church’s future involvement with supporting our unhoused neighbors.
If you have any questions, please be in touch with the Executive Team. The UCM ET members are Rev. Joan Javier-Duval, Diane Marie, and Donna Russo-Savage.