The City of Bloomington and Monroe County government are coordinating to fund a Winter Contingency Shelter for Women.
Wheeler Mission will run the shelter, which will house up to 40 women experiencing homelessness.
According to a census taken by Centerstone, Bloomington Police, and Beacon – emergency housing capacity has dropped by about 25 percent this season–resulting in around 40 women camping in tents in the city.
Beverly Calender-Anderson is the director of the Bloomington Community Family Resources Department. She says one factor contributing to reduced capacity in emergency shelters is that Wheeler Mission women’s shelter closed in July due to lack of funds.
Calendar-Anderson says local shelter directors communicated the need for a winter women’s shelter, and the city and county will provide funds for Wheeler Mission to run a women’s shelter through March.
“That way these women who are currently living in the elements in the encampments out of the streets can be out of the elements during the winter months,” she says.
Calendar-Anderson says the shelter is set to open later this month once Wheeler Mission is finished hiring staff.
She adds the census showed most of the women counted were over 45 years old, making them an especially vulnerable group.
