Our community has identified the need for additional resources for adult individuals in Cambridge who are not able to stay in conventional shelters, due to personal circumstances or mental health conditions. These individuals sleep outdoors by default and are subject to hazardous conditions, especially during the winter months.
The objective is to provide a welcoming, low threshold, indoor overnight service that will provide food, a safe place to rest, and protection from inclement weather. Information regarding community resources and services will also be available.
The City issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a provider to operate the Warming Center. Bay Cove Human Services was selected to operate the service. Bay Cove Human Services/ CASPAR, Inc. currently operates shelter and outreach services in Cambridge. They also have experience with operating a night center and warming center in Boston.
Bay Cove is actively working with multiple city departments, the Cambridge Police Department, first responders, outreach teams, and other homeless service providers to operate the winter warming center. Outreach and police partners will support Warming Center operations by helping to identify individuals who are residing outdoors during extreme weather and are interested in getting indoors for the evening.
The Warming Center will share seasonal nighttime space in the basement of the Cambridge Senior Center located at 806 Massachusetts Avenue. Access to the Warming Center is on the other side of the building via the Green Street entrance. The service will operate from approximately 7:30 PM to 6:00 AM, 7 nights per week. The Warming Center will be open from December 1, 2018 to April 15, 2019.
We anticipate that an average of 45 guests will utilize the Warming Center per evening. In addition to food and an indoor space to rest, guests will be assisted in connecting to first responders regarding all serious health and safety concerns. Additionally, information regarding other community services will be available. This will include providing direct access to the Cambridge Coordinated Access Network (C-CAN) to be assessed for potential housing opportunities.
The Warming Center is intended to ensure optimal health and safety for all guests, staff, and nearby neighbors. Guests will be welcomed to the space through an intake process on the interior of the building, thereby limiting time spent outdoors. Staff will monitor guests during outside breaks. The Cambridge Police Department has also committed to assigning an officer to the area during the warming center season.
Breakfast will be served at 5:30 AM each morning and guests will depart by 6:00 AM. Staff will help guests identify a safe onward location if they are not already connected to one; many individuals choose to go to CASPAR’s emergency shelter for daytime drop-in hours following their night at the Warming Center.