Good Stuff in TEC: Wisconsin

Temporary shelter in the works St. Matthias to open doors for overflow of homeless

Every night since late October, walking into any emergency shelter in Waukesha has involved tiptoeing over bodies scattered in hallways and living rooms.

The tableau may look like a slumber party, but these sleepovers aren't about movies and junk food.

They're the result of a consistent overflow of homeless men dropping into shelters operated by the Salvation Army of Waukesha and Hebron House of Hospitality, and the inability of those organizations to do much more than offer a sympathetic smile and floor space.

But that should change by the middle of this month, when the lower-level fellowship hall of St. Matthias Episcopal Church, 111 E. Main St., becomes a temporary drop-in shelter for 30 to 50 men each night.

"This need is not stopping," said Rachel Fjellman, social services director at the Waukesha Salvation Army. "We needed more of a long-term solution. We didn't want to get to the point of having to turn them away."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/36954444.html

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