CCC (Commonwealth Catholic Charities) is an advocate and provider of service for those experiencing homelessness in Greater Richmond and we remain committed to maintaining high quality care for the most vulnerable members of our community.
As the cold weather approaches, plans are underway for Richmond City’s Inclement Weather Shelter. The City’s program provides a safe and warm overnight space for those without shelter, and we are proud to have partnered with the City in this effort over the past several years.
CCC submitted a proposal in August to operate one location serving 150+ people who are unsheltered in our community. The City of Richmond is proposing four shelter sites throughout the city and has asked CCC to operate one of the four proposed sites serving up to 60 individuals.
We have been waiting for detailed information regarding how the City proposes to coordinate access to sites with available beds, how transportation will be ensured should a community member arrive to a site with no occupancy, and how a standard level of care will be provided across these four locations. Despite ongoing efforts to gain clarity, the City did not share details regarding their plan with us prior to presenting it to City Council on October 13.
CCC has not committed to operating under this model this winter, and we informed the City that a November 15 opening is extremely unlikely prior to this proposal being made public.
Our mission is to serve the most vulnerable and we are passionately committed to the wellbeing of unsheltered and unhoused individuals across Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia. We desperately want to provide this much needed service; however, we cannot agree to participate in a program that is poorly designed and will lead to inadequate care and potentially tragic consequences for our neighbors.
We are hopeful that the City will welcome the four providers to the table to begin an open dialogue and chart a path forward that honors the dignity of the people we serve.
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