Rotating Homeless Shelter Program Comes to Sad End for Season

Very quietly and without fanfare or problems, two Novato churches have participated in a rotating homeless shelter program all winter long. Now that we’re into spring, it’s coming to a close — with some sadness on behalf of the congregations that were touched by thank-yours heard from the needy.

The hosted 16 homeless women the night of March 26 and tonight, March 31, will host upwards of 40 men. After Thursday, the Rotating Emergency Shelter Team project in Novato will come to and end for the season.

The Marin County Civil Grand Jury has criticized the county government for not finding a place for a permanent homeless shelter. The San Rafael armory used to be available, but funding cuts resulted in the shutting down of that location and a reliance on the faith-based rotating shelter system, known as REST. In the program, homeless people are bused to 15 area churches for overnight stays and fed by the congregations.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” said Pastor Joe Everly of The Quest. “It’s been a blessing for us to do it. If you think about it, most churches are sort of at rest during the week, so it’s perfect for REST.”

Pastor Rebecca Irelan said her Methodist church has been part of the rotation for the homeless women since the beginning of the REST program three years ago.

“Nobody else in Novato knew about it,” she said. “… We had been involved in a drop-off program at the Mill Street Shelter, but there wasn’t any interaction with the guests. We were very excited about being able to share a meal with these people, and it has been an amazing blessing for our congregation.”

On a rain-soaked evening like so many evenings in March, 36 men stayed the night of March 24 at The Quest, which shares a property line with the Methodist church on South Novato Boulevard. The men were brought to the church in a bus, placed their belongings in a room where their bed packs were waiting for them, and then went into the church’s dining hall for a meal. Volunteers had made a roast chicken dinner with two salads, rolls, baked potatoes, ice cream and cookies.

The men — most looking ragged and weathered — beamed as their paper plates were filled with heaping piles of food made with compassion as a key ingredient.

“It feels so good to be able to help,” said Pat Simos, who was there with her husband, Scott, and a half dozen others to serve dinner to the men. “Here in Marin, we have so much, and it feels good to give something to people who need it. It’s sad that it’s coming to an end.”

Everly said it’s a matter of utilizing unused resources to help REST survive the winter season.  “Nothing had to be done other than opening our doors,” he said. “Homelessness is a lot more complex thing than we think it is. It’s not everybody else’s problem. It’s something all of us need to pay attention to, and that’s why REST is a great thing.”

Irelan said starting the REST program Dec. 1 and ending at the end of March isn’t enough. “We’d be willing to start a month earlier and extend it another month,” she said. “There was some sadness in seeing it end last weekend for us. It was still raining a lot.”

Rev. Paul Gaffney is the REST coordinator this year, and he has seven years of street chaplain work under him. He spent the evening on March 24 shaking hands and greeting the men as they arrived off the bus. Everly and The Quest volunteers did the same to make sure the welcome was as warm as the room the men were staying in that night.

Gaffney said there is renewed hope that something permanent will be figured out to address the estimated 1,400 people who have no shelter on any given night in Marin. He said about 1,000 volunteers have made REST work this winter season, an average of 67 people per house of worship. He said about 150 homeless people have taken part in the rotating shelter, meaning that most of them are return visitors.

“The Marin Organizing Committee is taking up the subject again now that the Civil Grand Jury has said we really need a permanent shelter,” Gaffney said. “At least it’s being talked about. It’s going to take all of us getting behind it for it to work.”