Short-term solution for homeless problem found

Buy a night - or a week Sparta - Ever since the death of a homeless man this fall near affluent homes and practically on the doorstep of a local business, churches, charitable organizations and individuals have been searching for a way to provide single men with temporary shelter in Sussex County. Pastor Charles McNeill of the Sparta United Methodist Church has been in the forefront of the effort. He submitted the following in an attempt to bring more people into the quest: “How can we keep another person from freezing to death?” That is the question requiring an immediate answer that an ad hoc committee of numerous social service organizations and concerned citizens within Sussex County has grappled with over three gatherings. After examining several different possible short-term solutions, the question of funding continued to be a stumbling block, simply due to the urgency of the need. Close to a solution, with a location and potential professional mental health staffing to deal with the particular population of individual homeless in Sussex County, [we have found that] the sticking point is funding, even for the next six weeks, to get through the coldest of the winter nights. The final, most practical and expeditious solution is to work within the existing agency of the Samaritan Inn with an expanded program and more open criteria. To realize a solution, additional funding is being solicited through contributions from individuals, organizations, and faith-related groups. So far, the Sparta Presbyterian and the Sparta United Methodist Churches pledged $1,000 each to meet the immediate need, the United Way has designated a $2,500 emergency grant for the shelter, and several other individual commitments were made which cumulatively total more than $5,500. The known number of homeless within the County is well over 300. The cost-per-night to keep someone from freezing is around $50. Now, the public is being given the opportunity to step up to the plate and “buy a shelter” for a night (or a week). The literal life-or-death need is great and the reality is real as demonstrated by the fatality from hypothermia in December of a homeless man in Sparta. The ad hoc group is confident and hopeful that we have met the initial need of providing a safety net in a way which has not existed previously. A longer-term, more comprehensive solution is still required and will continue to be addressed before next winter, with the opportunity of working through some additional funding sources. In the meantime, you can potentially save a life by writing a check to: The Samaritan Inn, 48 Wyker Road, Franklin, NJ 07416, with a memo for “emergency shelter” — $50 for a night, $350 for a week.