Nov 27, 2008 5:51 pm US/Central
Sole North Side Men's Overnight Shelter To Close
State Funding Cut After Shelter Lost Its Lease
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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For 23 years, the REST organization ran a homeless shelter at Epworth United Methodist Church. But the shelter lost its lease, and the city canceled their funding.
CBS
A homeless shelter in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood could soon leave dozens of men out in the cold.
Out of work since August, Michael Scott may soon have nowhere to stay as well, when the North Side's only overnight shelter for men closes down.
"I wouldn't know where to start. I'd be back at square one, sleeping in hospitals and stuff. I really don't want to go back to that," Scott said.
As CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports, for 23 years, the REST organization ran a homeless shelter at Epworth Methodist Church, 5253 N. Kenmore Ave. But the shelter lost its lease, and the city canceled their funding. Now, the shelter's set to close December 1, despite community support for its operation.
"The community's better off if these fellows are housed, fed, have a place to go to the bathroom and counsel and get a hot shower, than they are sleeping in the park and wandering around all day," Michael O'Hara of REST said.
The shelter, housed in a church gymnasium, serves 65 men a night and turns away 20 more. The city says the men can turn to other shelters on the South and West side. But that's difficult for those who work, or are looking for work, in this area.
What's more, managers at shelters like the Christian Industrial League, where residents enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner Thursday, say they're already turning people away themselves.
"It puts a burden on every other agency that's running in the system," said Mary Shaver of the Chicago Christian Industrial League.
Now, REST executives are pleading for the city to restore funds until they can find a new shelter site.
"It's gonna be sad because, really, ain't no place for us to go," said shelter resident Samuel Gardner
The REST shelter has served an estimated 1,000 men over the last 12 months. The average resident stays two weeks.
And, the church has said, if the city's funding is restored they are willing to give the shelter some time to find another location.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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