The only homeless shelter between Syracuse and Schenectady is preparing to deal with cold, crowds and Covid, as temperatures for the first part of the weekend plummet.
Posted: Jan 29, 2021 5:03 PM
Updated: Jan 29, 2021 5:35 PM
Posted By: Joleen Ferris
UTICA, N.Y. — The only homeless shelter between Syracuse and Schenectady is preparing to deal with cold, crowds and Covid, as temperatures for the first part of the weekend plummet.
“You’ve always gotta get creative, we don’t want to turn anybody away. We have enough room that if we have to, we have cots and we can make sure those cots are separated,” says Ernie Talerico, Director of Operations for the Utica Rescue Mission. “Everyone has to wear masks in common areas and hand sanitizer and social distancing, those are the big things.”
The Utica Rescue Misson, as of Friday, was about 95% full, meaning 56 out of 59 beds in their homeless shelter are taken. Officials there will keep a close eye on the frigid weekend temperatures, and any impact they can have on their occupancy. Most of all, they want people in need of a safe place to lay their heads to know that they’re there for them.
“The Rescue Mission is here to care for individuals and individual on the street are very vulnerable, especially now,” says Talerico.
https://www.wktv.com/content/news/Utica-Rescue-Mission-ready-for-cold-crowds-Covid-573691001.html
