When an unhoused individual walks through the doors of Nest Community Shelter, chances are that it is likely one of the roughest days of their lives. Very few individuals ever imagine that they’d find themselves crossing the threshold of a shelter for unhoused individuals as a place where they’ll sleep and eat. Yet, in this powerful moment, our volunteers and staff welcome guests with open arms, because we know that a transformation can take place, which is powerful and will change the guest’s life for the rest of their days.
A Unique Series to Demonstrate the Nest Community Shelter Program in September
Throughout September, we are going to talk about the process that a guest experiences at Nest from the first day, all the way through our program, and the support still available after they’re housed. Each Tuesday during the month, in this series, we will write about 1-2 weeks at a time in a guest’s journey, highlighting the most common steps that guests generally take. This is our side of what happens and what we bring to the table for those in need. On Thursdays this month, we will tell a fictionalized story of what it is like to be a guest walking through the Nest program. We want to show how our program works. You may be wondering why not interview Nest’s guests about this process. At Nest, we believe in providing our guests with dignity and anonymity during and after their stay with us. In this spirit, we will be sharing a fictionalized account of the entry process from our fictionalized guest’s perspective on Thursdays through this series.
Welcoming Guests to Nest: Day 1- Week 2
Typically, we ask guests to call ahead and make arrangements to stay with us, if possible. This small action mitigates a few potential issues. First, it ensures we have the room. Second, it allows us to understand any special needs that a future guest may have. Lastly, this call allows us and the guests to ask any pressing questions and go over a few basics about Nest.
When shelter doors open for the evening at Nest Community Shelter and the new guest arrives for the first time, they are welcomed warmly, and they begin our nightly intake process. Each night, we conduct a basic health screening for every guest at the door. This is done to ensure the health and safety of all guests, as we are in a dormitory-style environment. Once health screenings are complete, guests who have newly arrived will be assigned a plastic tote (roughly 27-gallon size). Inside the tote, the guest will find their bedding for the evening- sheets, a blanket, and a pillow. From there, the guest is invited to find a bed for the evening. Once the bed is made with the bedding from the tote, the guest’s belongings should be put into the tote. As space is limited, all of the guests’ belongings must fit in this tote nightly.
Once the guest has had a moment to settle in, one of Nest’s case managers will connect with the guest. This is perhaps one of the most important meetings in a guest’s life. This meeting is where Nest staff and or our Flight School instructors learn about the guest, the challenges they have, and begin to build an action plan to get the guest back on their feet. This intake meeting will also provide Nest staff with the needed information on what support is required. For example, is the guest missing key documents or identification? Trying to get a job or rent an apartment is next to impossible without the proper documentation. This is where Nest can help. We also assess if the individual is currently working, if they have savings, and if they will meet the HUD qualifications for homelessness.
After this meeting, the guest is welcome to have a hot dinner and rest for the evening. The first night in a shelter can be traumatic for some guests, realizing that they find themselves sleeping in a shelter for those who are unhoused. Our job that evening is once again to make the guest feel welcome, ensure they are well-fed and comfortable enough to sleep that evening.
The next morning, guests spend the day with Nest staff and Flight School instructors, connecting to support services and community resources. For some guests, their stay is short; perhaps they have a job but aren’t making quite enough to qualify for rent. Through our community partners’ programs, housing support may be an option, so the guest comes and goes very quickly. For others, there might be more work to get them back on their feet. This is where our vast support network comes into play. For example, if a health issue must be addressed first, or if the guest needs access to health care, we’ll help the guest navigate this system so they can move forward with rebuilding their lives.
For the next two weeks at Nest, the guest will meet regularly with their Flight School instructor to track progress and set goals. At this time, we have the opportunity to get to know our guests better, what led them to us, what hurdles they have to overcome, and any additional support that will be needed. We’ll help schedule appointments, continue with document recovery, and continue to reconnect our guests to their community.
Key Things that Happen in this time:
- Initial intake is completed to learn challenges and gauge support that will be needed.
- Guests meet with Nest Case Manager, and or Flight School instructor
- Guest and staff plan and begin roadmap to guest finding their way to housing security
- Needed documents are accessed
- Connection to community partners are established
- If needed appointments are set with additional outside partners
- Friendships may begin thus building strong support networks.
A Crucial Time for Guests and Staff
This time is crucial for our guests, as they may be learning how to navigate the support system in place to help them for the first time. During this time, we are working intensively with our guests to set them up for success. We also recognize that for many of our guests, this initial period, the first two weeks, is often a time for decompression. Living out on the streets, or in hidden homelessness, is traumatic, scary, and can often be life-threatening. The realization that the shelter is there to help, that there is a safe place to sleep, and that one does not have to worry about food for the day, but can focus on the goal of being housed, can be a jarring transition for some. Either way, Nest staff and volunteers are there to set our guests up for success and support them along the way. We also find that friendships begin at this time amongst guests. This is important in building support networks. We know that those most at risk of being unhoused are often disconnected from their community and lack a support network.
At Nest Community Shelter, we understand that all of our guests are on a journey. We hope that Nest is a comfortable, temporary, and supportive stop along the way to finding their way home. At Nest Community Shelter, every guest is expected to set goals and achieve them, as we work together in partnership to get our guests into a stable housing situation of their own.
On Thursday we will be sharing a fictionalized account of this process from a fictionalized Nest guest’s perspective. We want to illustrate what this process is like from both sides. We invite you to join us on this journey and share it with those who have wondered what sets Nest Community Shelter apart.
