Harrington Hall
In July of 2009, House of Hope CDC took over management of the state’s largest men’s “overflow” shelter, Harrington Hall. Since then, we have provided services over 1,300 men, from basic shelter to outreach and case management and have helped over 100 men move into more stable housing.
In the last year, House of Hope CDC provided services for 741 homeless men at Harrington Hall. We are able to provide information and referrals to the men staying at the shelter so they can begin to address their barriers to housing, from job training programs, to mental and behavioral health services.
Additionally, clients are able to connect with case managers who can provide specific and goal-oriented case plans for situational and chronically homeless men to achieve a more stable housing situation.
In the first half of this fiscal year, we have served 450 men; 183 participated in case management services and 21 have moved into stable housing. We believe that with the right, rapid intervention, supportive services, and access to stable housing, we can see chronic homelessness in our state come to an end.
Our Plan for the Future:
House of Hope CDC’s goal is to end homelessness in Rhode Island. Our first step is to close Harrington Hall and replace it with a system that is efficient, effective and provides all of the necessary supports that individuals who are experiencing homelessness need to move forward.
Our goal is to move into a multi-functioning facility that will have the ability to provide all of the necessary services to individuals in one location, maximizing success. The planned facility will include a triage center, where individuals are quickly assessed, triaged and connected with services; a sobering and detox center; a behavioral health center; a cafeteria; laundry facilities; a library and computer lab; employment and life skills trainings and supportive housing. Over the next few years, our plan is to transform our current 88 bed men’s shelter program into a collaborative, comprehensive and multi-faceted facility that quickly moves the chronically homeless out of the shelter system and into stable housing.
How YOU Can Help:
We have been working closely with the State to move out of Harrington Hall and into a vacant building on the same State Grounds. Harrington Hall was never meant to be a solution to ending homelessness in RI. It was was supposed to be open for only 1 winter, but has been sheltering homeless men for 7 years. Over 100 men each night file into large room where there are rows of beds, but no privacy to meet with staff and only 3 toilets and 2 showers.
The Gloria McDonald Building is much better suited to provide comprehensive services to quickly assess the needs of homeless individuals and get them out of shelter. There is space for group meetings, therapeutic programs, a library, even a cafeteria. There is the opportunity to provide dignity. But the Governor needs to green-light the move.
Call Governor Chafee’s office and tell him that you support shutting down Harrington Hall and moving the state’s shelter to the Gloria McDonald Building. Tell him you support ending homelessness in Rhode Island in the most cost-effective, results oriented, and humane way and that he should, too.
To learn more, or to volunteer at Harrington Hall, please call us at 401-463-3324.
