GREEN BAY – As St. John’s Ministries concluded its 19th shelter season on Tuesday, Executive Director Jesse Brunette reflected on the shelter’s busiest year in its history.
Last year’s numbers were also unprecedented, but St. John’s hosted 20% more guests per night between November 1, 2023 and April 30. and daytime resource hours and street outreach to connect people in need to resources.
As Brunette herself admits, St. John’s went through a difficult situation at the beginning of the season, as staffing shortages delayed women’s shelter opening for one month. But the community has “really rallied around us” and the team has been “amazing,” Brunette said.
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“Now we’re moving to what we consider off-season so we can reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness in the summer months so that in November there’s not a huge rush of people,” Brunette said. “We are anticipating high numbers again next year, but we will work hard over the summer months to reduce them as much as possible.”
How do this year’s St. John Shelter numbers compare to last year’s?
In the 2022-23 shelter year, St. John’s housed 605 people, which marked a record number of guests for the shelter season. But this year, St. John’s housed 662 people.
The average number per night the previous year was 102 guests. This year, the average per night was 121 guests.
What do the numbers tell us?
One of the trends Brunette is seeing is the aging of the population at St. Ministries. Elderly people are increasingly showing up at the shelter, which is considered a “last resort” shelter. This means that St. John’s accepts homeless people who are not eligible anywhere else and who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets.
“We have seen more older individuals this year who, unfortunately, in many cases, are not able to care for themselves,” Brunette said.
While this is a criteria for entry into the shelter, Brunette said the shelter is not equipped to take in people who cannot use the bathrooms or feed themselves.
“This puts us in a difficult situation,” Brunette said.
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Brunette said the shelter also served people experiencing chronic homelessness, sometimes due to a mental illness or other chronic health problem. In many cases, the same individuals who needed shelter the past five to 10 years presented themselves again this year, Brunette said.
What programs does St. John’s offer during the summer?
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Entry days: As in previous years, Tuesdays and Fridays will be visitation days where people will have the opportunity to use the bathroom, take a shower, have breakfast and lunch, do laundry, speak with a case manager and have access to basic needs. But unlike previous years, there will be two locations, one for men and one for women, to allow for more privacy.
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Hours: Men may use foster services from 8 am to 1:30 pm on Tuesdays and 8 am to 12:30 pm on Fridays at 411 St. John St. Women may use foster services during the same times at the women’s shelter, 700 E. Walnut St.
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What is available? Daytime resources, including breakfast and case management services, will be available at the Micah Center, 612 Stuart St., for men, and at Wellspring, 700 E. Walnut St., for women, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday and Tuesday -fair. , Thursday and Friday, and from 9am to 3:30pm Wednesday.
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Run home: With the physical and mental health of people experiencing homelessness in mind, St. Joseph’s is participating in a new program called the Run for Home Program, which will allow participants to train for 10 weeks before the Bellin Run.
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Professional training: St. John’s faith-based community improvement program, called José Project, connects people experiencing homelessness with employment opportunities through a skills training program. Likewise, other job training opportunities include a maintenance program where participants can help with cleaning, landscaping, painting and beautifying St. John’s buildings and grounds in preparation for the upcoming shelter season.
“We’re trying to get people experiencing homelessness to get involved in something,” Brunette said. “I think if they are involved and feel like they belong in the community, it’s an opportunity for us to strengthen those relationships, build rapport and trust, and we can help them find housing.”
Where will the most vulnerable people go during the summer?
St. John’s Ministries will continue its Summer Safe Sleep Program, a program that has been running during the summer for the past six years. People experiencing homelessness who are especially vulnerable and have no other options can contact one of St. John’s five case managers, who will determine their eligibility for the program.
Adults experiencing homelessness are encouraged to call 920-617-8700 or 920-436-9344 for assistance.
This article originally appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette: St. John’s Sees More People in Need, Announces Summer Programming
