>> AFTER DELVING INTO THE ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE FIRST PART OF HIS LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS IN
THE 413, TONIGHT, "CONNECTING POINT'S" BRIAN SULLIVAN TAKES US
INSIDE HOMELESS SHELTERS IN BERKSHIRE AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES.
>> OUT ON THE STREETS, THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.
AS A PAIR OF SHOES MAY STILL BELONG TO SOMEONE WHO IS COMING
BACK FOR THEM LATER.
THIS PAIR AS WELL.
THIS IS PROBABLY NOT SOMEONE TRYING OUT A NEW TENT OR SOMEONE
WHO GOT LOST LEAVING THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT AND WHILE THE
MEMORIAL BRIDGE MAY BE NICE TO LOOK AT FROM HERE, THAT
PERSPECTIVE LIKELY CHANGES FOR SOMEONE LIVING UNDER IT.
SINCE 2015, THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD HAS SEEN A RISE IN
ITS HOMELESS NUMBERS WITH TOTALS RANGING ANYWHERE FROM 1,200 TO
2,000 DEPENDING ON THE SURVEY.
ONE POSITIVE IS THAT FACILITIES FOR THOSE IN NEED DO EXIST IN
THIS CITY AND WITHIN SHORT DISTANCES OF EACH OTHER.
THE DOWN SIDE IS THE INCREASED NECESSITY FOR THEIR EXISTENCE.
WITH A POPULATION OF 154,000, SPRINGFIELD HAS NEARLY 30,000
MORE RESIDENTS THAN ALL OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
HOWEVER, BERKSHIRE COUNTY HAS FAR FEWER SHELTERS FOR RESIDENTS
OUT ON THE STREETS.
SO TO HELP OUT IN THESE WINTER MONTHS, THE MASSACHUSETTS
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTED AN
ADDITIONAL $150,000 TO A COALITION OF AREA SHELTER
PROGRAMS.
WITH THE HIGHEST POPULATION IN THE COUNTY, THE CITY OF
PITTSFIELD WILL BE TAKING IN A GOOD CHUNK OF THOSE FUNDS MOST
OF WHICH WILL GO TO BARTONS CROSSING LOCATED ON THE
OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN.
>> BARTONS CROSSING IS A HOMELESS SHELTER.
WE SERVE ADULTS HERE IN PITTSFIELD MASS.
WE HAVE A WINTER SHELTER THAT PROVIDES SIX MONTHS OF WINTER
FROM NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH APRIL 30TH WHERE WE EXPAND OUR SHELTER
TO 20 EXTRA BEDS AND PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO COME IN ON A NIGHTLY
BASIS, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A GOOD MEAL, WARMTH IF
THEY NEED ANY OTHER CLOTHING, IF THEY NEED CASE MANAGEMENT
SERVICES, WE HAVE THAT PROVIDED FOR THEM.
>> NO ONE WILL CONFUSE THIS PLACE WITH THE RITZ BUT THIS
FACILITY IS CERTAINLY BIG OR MAYBE CAVERNOUS IS THE WORD.
MOST OF THE RESIDENTS ARE TAKING PART IN EITHER THE WINTER OR
YEAR ROUND EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM AND THOSE RESIDENTS ARE
TO BE OUT OF THE SHELTER BY 8:30 A.M. AND ALLOWED BACK IN AT 4:30
P.M.
THERE'S ALSO SPACE FOR UP TO 13 INDIVIDUALS FOR WHAT'S KNOWN AS
THE PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING PROGRAM.
>> REALLY, WHAT PERMANENT HOUSING IS, IT CAN BE SOMETIMES
CONSIDERED A CONTINUUM FROM SHELTERS OR TO BEING OUT IN THE
STREET EVEN AND TO COMING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING WHERE PEOPLE
MAYBE NEED A LITTLE LONGER TO KIND OF STABLIZE AND FIND THE
NEXT STEP FOR THEMSELVES.
>> AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BARTONS CROSSING IS HOUSING SOMEWHERE
AROUND 40 PEOPLE.
BUT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HOUSE 50.
THE EXTRA GRANT MONEY FROM THE STATE HELPS MOSTLY WITH STAFFING
NEEDS AS THEY TAKE IN MORE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.
WELL, THE CITY OF PITTSFIELD WAS FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE THE EXTRA
STATE FUNDING TO HELP WITH THEIR OPERATIONS, THERE'S ANOTHER CITY
50 MILES NORTHEAST OF HERE THAT SO FAR HASN'T RECEIVED EXTRA
FUNDING.
THEIR HOMELESS ISSUES WERE FRONT AND CENTER OVER THE SUMMER OF
2018 AND HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER AS WE HEAD INTO THE
WINTER MONTHS.
THIS IS DOWNTOWN GREENFIELD WHERE THE HOMELESS ARE RIGHT OUT
THERE ON THE SIDEWALKS FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
BUT HEADING AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN, MANY DRIVERS WILL ALSO PASS THIS
ROTATION OF CARDBOARD SIGN HOLDERS.
JUST OUT OF CURIOUSITY, WE SPOKE WITH THIS YOUNG MAN TO GET AN
IDEA OF WHAT A TYPICAL DAY IS LIKE OUT HERE.
>> GET UP AT 5:30 IN THE MORNING, FIND A PLACE TO SHOWER
REAL QUICK, GO TO SALVATION ARMY DOWN HERE IN GREENFIELD ON MAIN
STREET, GET SOMETHING TO EAT, COME DOWN HERE, STAND HERE FROM
8:00, 8:30 UNTIL ABOUT 6:00, 7:00 TONIGHT.
I GET ABOUT MAYBE $60 TO $80 A DAY HERE.
IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY TO BE HONEST WITH YOU BECAUSE LIKE THE
DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, I MADE $300 STANDING RIGHT OVER THERE
BY THE PLAZA.
>> GREENFIELD ITSELF ONLY HAS A POPULATION OF AROUND 18,000 BUT
IT'S THE MAIN SERVICE PROVIDER FOR ALL OF FRANKLIN COUNTY AND A
20-BED SHELTER LIKE THE ONE ON WELL STREET CAN'T POSSIBLY KEEP
UP WITH THE DEMAND.
>> IT'S ABOUT 72,000 PEOPLE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY.
AND MOST OF THE SERVICES ARE CENTERED HERE LIKE THE FOOD
BANKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IN TERMS OF DEMAND ON THE SHELTER, WE SIMPLY CAN'T HANDLE
IT.
WE NORMALLY HAVE A WAITING LIST OF ABOUT 20 PEOPLE, SUMMER,
WINTER, FALL SPRING.
>> WHILE WE WERE THERE, ALL 20 BEDS WERE TAKEN.
14 FOR THE MEN AND SIX FOR THE WOMEN.
IN ROOMS THAT ARE SET UP IN A BARRACKS STYLE.
WELL STREET ALSO DOESN'T HAVE A PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING
PROGRAM LIKE BARTONS CROSSING SO RESIDENTS MUST BE OUT BY 8:30
A.M. AND CAN'T COME BACK UNTIL 4:30 P.M.
THIS MEANS THEY CAN LIKELY BE FOUND BACK OUT HERE DURING THAT
TIME.
AS PASSERS-BY QUITE OFTEN, WE BECOME ALMOST IMMUNE TO THEIR
PRESENCE.
WITHOUT KNOWING THEIR BACKGROUNDS OR HOW THEY GOT
HERE.
>> THE MOST COMMON ISSUES ARE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH,
MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS OF ABUSE OF ONE TYPE OR ANOTHER.
YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND PEOPLE WHO ABUSED AS
CHILDREN.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF PRISONS HAVE SERIOUS MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES AND WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF INSTITUTIONS.
>> AS LONG AS GREENFIELD REMAINS THE SERVICE HUB WITHOUT THE
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE COUNTY, MOST OF THE HOMELESS OUT
HERE WILL HAVE TO STAY OUT HERE ON THE STREETS.
>> THE PROBLEM WITH THE SHELTER HERE IN GREENFIELD IS THAT THEY
ARE FULL.
THERE'S A WAITING LIST AND THE WAITING LIST IS LIKE A YEAR OR
TWO.
I CALL EVERY DAY.
I GO THERE EVERY DAY.
ASKING IS THERE A BED AVAILABLE IN NO BEDS AVAILABLE.