SHARE Center Steps Up To Help The Homeless This Winter

The houselessness issue in Kalamazoo continues to be a struggle, and as we head towards the winter months, concerns are rising about the homeless population and where they are going to go to stay protected against the elements.

Meanwhile, in Battle Creek, big things are happening at the Share Center, where they recently announced that the city of Battle Creek approved them to be an emergency overnight shelter.

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This new policy will take effect when temperatures get dangerously low, as they detailed in their Facebook post:

Great news! The city of Battle Creek has officially approved the SHARE Center to be an emergency overnight shelter. This takes effect when the temperature is 20 degrees or below and the Haven of Rest is full. Special thanks to Marcie Parrish Gillette, John Hart, Darcy Schmitt, Helen Guzzo, Cody Newman, and Richard Bolek for making this happen. This will undoubtedly save lives this winter. It took a bit of effort just to get the zoning and code requirements for indoor lodging.

The Share Center, located at 120 Grove St. in Battle Creek, offers resources for recovery from homelessness, mental health, hunger, and addiction in Battle Creek.

In September alone, nearly 600 people made nearly 8000 visits, including 27 children, 107 seniors, and 57 veterans. They were also able to feed nearly 500 people nearly 5000 meals.

As they get closer to winter, they are always taking donations for personal hygiene products and winter clothing. You can visit their Facebook page to learn more about how you can help the people who are struggling here in our community.