Hundreds of people in the Windham region, regardless of age, ethnicity or gender, face the prospect of homelessness every day. For some, it is a temporary situation that can be fixed with a brief stay on a friend’s couch or in a family member’s home. For others, homelessness is longer-term and the solution is harder.
The Windham Region No Freeze Project advocates for both types of homeless people. We serve men and women, age 18 and older, from all social, economic, and racial backgrounds.
We greatly appreciate the efforts of a small group of ECSU students who produced this short and inciteful educational video on the plight of people experiencing homelessness in our community. Please watch.
nofreeze2nd project from Brian Day on Vimeo.
Becoming homeless
Every homeless person has a unique story. Some become homeless because they have lost a job, exhausted unemployment benefits or been released from prison. Others experience a personal or family crisis like a major health issue or the end of a significant relationship and have no support network or safety net. Many people struggle with mental illness or substance abuse. Still others have to move out of housing that was declared unsuitable and can find no affordable options.
For these people, emergency shelter becomes the only alternative to living outdoors or in other dangerous conditions. Over our history, the No Freeze has offered temporary shelter to more than 2,600 such men and women, keeping them off the streets and safe during cold winter months.
Finding a home
We work tirelessly to match homeless adults with housing, sometimes using diversion funding to keep a person out of shelter and with a family member or friend. Whenever possible, we connect guests to the assistance they need, including public benefits and mental health and addiction services. Our staff also connects guests to housing opportunities that will provide a permanent home.