- The Interfaith Shelter in Jackson is a low-barrier shelter in the city of Jackson.
- The shelter has 76 beds, and saw about 700 people staying in the shelter each year.
- In October alone, the shelter had 121 people stay.
- In the last Point in Time (PIT) count, there were 38 people counted sleeping on Jackson's streets.
The team at the Interfaith Shelter in Jackson is sharing information about the homelessness happening with its neighborhood.
Steve Castle, CEO, reflects on the origin story of the shelter. Almost 50 years ago, the founder found a man frozen to death underneath a bridge in Jackson. "As a community, I think it's important to know these people that are struggling, living on the streets, maybe having a hard tiem that we may or may not be able to relate to. They're still our neighbors," Castle continues, "You're living your day to day life and you don't forget other people are living differently and living with struggles you're not even aware of."
Service Coordinator, Andrew Wouters, shares "We see anyone from babies, to someone being pushed in a wheelchair. We just work to accommodate each and every circumstance that comes in. Being a low-barrier shelter, we hardly say 'no' to anybody. We just do our best to figure out how we can assist people with where they're at and what they need."
That includes men, women, and children in the 76 beds that are available.
Castle explains the unique challenges that come with serving those in need at a low-barrier shelter. That includes finding quiet spaces for moms to put babies to sleep, while navigating how to navigate programs while third-shift workers sleep.
As the weather turns, those efforts will be back in the forefront again. Those who have questions or want to volunteer or donate are encouraged to reach out.
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