Photo courtesy of Safe Nights volunteer
This year’s winter season may have been mild to begin with, but the freezing temperatures have sneaked up on us and seem to be here to stay, leaving us reaching for extra layers, warming our cars before work and throwing another blanket on the bed.
It’s something that most of us don’t think twice about. It’s cold outside, but we have ways to warm up. The freezing temperatures are a nuisance that we grumble about until spring begins to appear.
But for some, winter weather can mean life or death.
That’s where Safe Nights comes in, a program that provides overnight shelter for homeless individuals and families in the Southern Maryland communities.
Founded in 2005, Safe Nights started out with only three churches to use as host sites, even using their own office at times to accommodate as many people as they could. Today, there are 25 church locations that take turns hosting homeless in the program from Oct. 1 through April 15 of each year.
Assistant Director Corae Young states, “It’s our mission to not only provide a safe and warm shelter for our clients, but to give them with the tools they need to transition to self-sufficiency.
Safe Nights provides their clients with support services, assigning a case manager to each individual. Clients have bi-weekly meetings with their case managers to work through short and long-term goals.
“The transition stage is always a challenge, but our clients work so hard,” said Young. “We help them gain employment, work out public transportation and teach them how to manage their finances.” The time and effort put in pays off and the success stories are endless, Young indicated. “We see so many clients from the past who have kept their jobs or have moved up to management positions. They have permanent housing, they’ve started families. It’s a wonderful thing to hear.”
Safe Nights is always accepting donations of blankets, pillows, toiletries and cots. Several of the older cots need to be replaced with ones that last longer. Their St. Mary’s sector, Wrapping Arms ‘Round Many (WARM), unfortunately had cots stolen over the summer. If you would like to donate, the cots used by Safe Nights are available for purchase HERE.
Questions regarding donations or how to volunteer may be directed toward Volunteer Coordinator Tammy Gausman by email, tgausman@lifestylesofmd.org, or by phone, 301-609-9900.
Homeless individuals who seek assistance from Safe Nights must apply for the program. Background checks are mandatory. For application information, call 1-866-293-0623.
Contact Barbara Muller at b.muller@thebaynet.com
