Homeless in summer: Morristown’s Hospitality Link extends a helping hand

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By Susan Robinson, Homeless Solutions

Homelessness in any season is traumatic and can have long-lasting effects on people who experience it. Being homeless in the winter is obviously dangerous because of the freezing temperatures, but being homeless in the warm weather also presents unique risks.

Many who are technically homeless are able to find shelter in the colder months with friends or family who are not able, or willing, to offer them a place to stay in the warm months.

hospitality linkIn the summer, this leaves more individuals to fend for themselves and creates an increased demand on drop-in resources, such as Homeless Solutions’ Hospitality Link (HL), housed in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on Maple Avenue in Morristown.

HL offers a variety of services and links to county agencies and other organizations, including ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, employment search assistance, referrals, and transportation assistance.

The mission of Hospitality Link is to meet the individual needs of clients, the homeless, and the working poor of Morris County, so that they can move forward in their lives. The center does this by offering a variety of services and links to county agencies and other organizations, including: ESL classes, employment and housing search assistance, referrals, and transportation assistance.

HL strives to be a hospitable link for all clients by serving coffee and snacks, making newspapers available for the clients to read, and providing access to the internet for job search purposes.

In addition to the ongoing need for shelter and food, some of the special concerns that face the homeless in warm weather are hydration, sun and heat stroke, and hygiene.

Thanks to St. Peter’s Church and the support of other Morristown churches, HL clients do have someplace to seek shelter during the hottest part of the day – just having someplace where you are welcomed to come inside reduces the risk of sun and heat stroke.

In addition, HL receives support from local individuals and faith communities that allows the staff to provide beverages to clients to keep hydrated in the hot weather.

A local laundromat, the Morristown Laundromat, also discounts the cost of its services to HL clients. Many of them have no place and extremely limited means to wash their clothing so the support of laundromat owner Howard Schoenberger is very meaningful to them. HL clients are often searching for jobs, and this service allows them to interview for jobs feeling good about how they present themselves.

It’s always difficult to be homeless, but thanks to some local supporters HL staff and volunteers are able to make the situation a little more bearable for their clients this summer. If you’re interested in finding out how you can get involved, contact Trink Schwartz at 973-538-1442.

Social service agencies gathered last December at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, home of Homeless Solutions' Hospitality Link program. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Social service agencies gathered last December at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, home of Homeless Solutions' Hospitality Link program. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

1 COMMENT

  1. I am very grateful for you guys. You helped me get a cellphone so I could actually receive calls from employers. Since then, I have my own apartment and I’m making $60,000 a year as an IT Manager again. Thank you so much for your help when I was homeless!!

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