GEORGETOWN, Del. - After Higher Ground Outreach was granted overnight emergency shelter status on Tuesday, the question remains, what happens next?
Higher Ground Outreach is a local non-profit organization located on East Pine Street in Georgetown that serves as a rest area for the homeless during the day. They are provided warm meals and have a chance to warm up and rest in these freezing cold temperatures.
On Tuesday, HGO worked with the Town to receive overnight emergency shelter status meaning from Tuesday at 4 p.m. to Friday at 4 p.m., they can provide shelter to a few homeless individuals.
Lou Hernandez, Director of Higher Ground Outreach, says he's safely provided shelter to 12-13 people. However, once his status expires, he wonders what the next steps are to keep people safe in this weather.
He says he's grateful the Town worked with him to provide this shelter, he believes it made a difference.
"We're working to make it a comfortable situation. So some people like to sit in the recliner chairs and they can utilize that with blankets and a pillow," Hernandez explained.
"Others have been given blankets, pillows and sleeping bags so they kind of find their spot. So they've been comfortable," he continued.
However once the emergency status ends on Friday at 4 p.m., people will be left searching for shelter again.
Gene Dvornick, Georgetown's Town Manager, says the number one thing is the protection of the unhoused and taking care of each other when it gets this cold, but if HGO wants to do this again, the Town will have to weigh in.
"Every time until they're fully certified or they decide it's exactly what they want to do, it would be done on a case by case basis with the ability to be an emergency overnight shelter," Dvornick explained.
"What we don't want is to start circumventing the process that Code Purple and other agencies have in place to help these folks on a regular basis," he continued.
Code Purple in Georgetown is located at the Georgetown Presbyterian Church on N Bedford St. They are open from Dec. 1 to March 15 and allow 14 men to stay there at night.
Hernandez has asked to continue a conversation with the Town to work out an emergency plan for the homeless, especially in cases of severe weather.
Dvornick said that is something the Town would consider.
"One of the things that I would highlight is that we would look to the non-profit sector to help identify those things," he told CoastTV. "So it would be something we work with Code Purple, Springboard Delaware, First State Community Action Agency and a multiple of the agencies here to help people that are unsheltered, especially when it gets cold like this."
Higher Ground Outreach accepts a number of donations including:
- clothes
- shoes
- canned goods/non perishables
- warm meals
These donations can be dropped off every day except for Wednesday's from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are closed on Wednesday's but urge people to call to set up an arrangement if they'd like to drop off a donation on a Wednesday.
Hernandez can be reached by email at lou@highergroundoutreachinc.org or by phone at 302-470-7497