| The United Caring Shelters, Inc. (UCS) began as
an idea that came about in a Sunday School class in June, 1991. Shortly
thereafter, we opened a day shelter and served about 25 to 30 people two
meals a day. An emergency night shelter was added for single men with 12
bunk beds in an area of a church. We added laundry facilities when we
realized that this helped men and women save money in order to pay for the
main necessities in life.
In 1996, United Caring
Shelter bought an abandoned brick warehouse one block north of the YMCA.
This building was four stories and had a basement. It was close to the main
bus terminal and the services for employment, social service agencies and
government offices that assist the homeless and needy in our area. The
first floor was remodeled in seven months by volunteers. It soon turned
into a soup kitchen and day shelter.
The Shelter Today
 The first floor provides meals for everybody, no questions asked. We have
three meals a day every day of the year. Laundry and shower facilities are
provided so that people who live without running water can clean up. We
allow use of the shelter address to people who need to use it for job
applications, social security disability benefits and so that their family
can keep in contact with them.
The second floor provides a safe haven for men
to sleep from 7:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. There are bunk beds in a dorm-type
atmosphere. Every guest is required to shower at night. We have a curfew
at night and a wake up service for those who need to get to work on time in
the morning. There is a limit to how many belongings that each guest can
have on their bed. A foot locker is provided for their personal storage.
Each guest is breathalized nightly and we do not allow anybody to stay that
has been drinking.
The third and fourth floor have been renovated
for our Transitional Housing program. Each apartment has a kitchen,
bathroom, bedroom and living area. Each tenant is required to have a job
and the rent is based on his income. The tenants can only be in the program
for a total of 24 months and are they required to take many different
classes such as “Credit When Credit is Due”, “Out of Poverty”, “The Tenant
Education Program”, The Home Buyer’s Club”, “Live the Dream, Own a Home”,
“Grief and Loss”, “Domestic Violence”, “Nutrition” and “Cooking” so that
they can become self-sufficient and be better prepared for independent
living. Also, the life/coping skills classes that can be incorporated into
the program provide an emphasis on assertiveness, anger management,
feelings, relationships, substance abuse, stress management and
spirituality/meditation.
There are monthly house meetings and individual
case management meetings with tenants are being conducted on a weekly basis
depending on the tenant’s needs and work schedule. |
