2nd Warming Shelter Announces It Won’t Open This Winter, Folks In Bangor Scrambling To Find Options For Unhoused

Fall is here, which means the cold nights of winter are not far off. For those without housing in the Bangor area, the options for where they can come in from the cold for the night have decreased, once again.

And it's something that's troubling folks on all levels, including City officials.

In August, the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter announced that after 7 years of operation, it would not be opening its warming center this winter.

According to Penquis, the BAHS warming center had space enough for almost 40 chairs and a handful of shelter beds, opening typically at the beginning of December and operating till the middle of March. Management cited a lack of staff and lack of attendance as the reason behind this year's closure.

However, last week another warming center announced that it would not be operating this year, and that has many in the area scrambling to figure out alternative options for Bangor's unhoused population before temperatures plummet.

The Union Street Brick Church Storehouse, located at 126 Union Street in Bangor,  announced this past week that they will also not be opening as an overnight warming shelter this coming winter, as it has in the past, because they just don't have the funds to operate this year, and were not approved for funding on a federal or local level.

"Due to circumstances beyond our control, The Union Street Brick Church will not be opening our overnight warming shelter this winter. Last year we had almost 70 overnight guests. This will be very detrimental to our community. Currently we are not approved for funds."

Volunteers Treasurer for the organization, Tina Jakacky, said she found out last week, via Facebook, that The Union Street Brick Church did not get the grant funding they had applied for through the Maine State Housing Authority.

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Jakacky says she feels the decision was made in error, as the pastor, Leon Licata, submitted two applications, two separate times.

"We sent in the first one on August 20-something. Then they extended the date, so my pastor decided to add some things, so we reissued it on September 15th, when it was due, but he reissued it 5 hours late, so they declined the second one because it was late. So we asked that they reconsider the first one, but they said they did not receive the first one."

"We're not giving up because if God wants us open, we will be open."

Jakacky, who has been volunteering with the organization for w says she knows there's going to be a need, just based on the number of people who show up for services on a weekly basis.

"Tuesday's and Thursdays from 10 AM to 2 PM, we average over 100 people. They come in for showers and for lunch and free necessities."

There's also a nightly dinner the church puts on every week, Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 5:30, and folks have been asking her about when the warming center will open.

We serve anywhere from 30-75 people a night, and they're asking me when we're going to open, and I have to tell them we're not. And it's just so sad to see their faces.  "

She says if they remain closed, dozens of people who have no other housing available to them in the freezing temps arrive, will be left out in the cold.

"We are allowed 70, and that's a lot. We averaged between 60 and 65 last year. And we got this same grant last year..."

Jakacky says they're funded entirely by donations and grants. She says if they were able to raise between 40 and 50 thousand dollars, they might be able to open. The major issue she says is the cost to heat the place.

The Union Street Brick Church has 2 furnaces that heat the large main areas. She estimates they use, on average, between two and three thousand dollars to heat the place each month.

Jakacky says she's made calls to Senators and Governor Mills to see what can be done at the state level.

City Officials in Bangor are also concerned about what this closure will mean for many folks in the area without the usual options of shelter when the cold season really kicks in.

Communications Manager for the City of Bangor, David Warren, says the city is actively looking at what can be done in the immediate future.

"After the City learned that Brick Church did not receive its funding, we’ve had personnel who have stepped in to work on a solution(s) and possible funding options. But these discussions are ongoing and evolving. There’s a Government Operations Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, Oct. 6, and the hope is that there will be a recommended path forward by that time for Councilors to consider. The City sees this as a grave matter and we’re trying to work quickly to find a fix."

In the meantime,  organizers in Hancock County, who recognize just how important The Brick Church has been to keeping people warm and safe during the colder months have put together a Brick Church Winter Clothing/Blanket Drive with the hope of helping ease the burden, if not financially then at least with donations of things that could help keep the unhoused warm this winter. 

"In an effort to help those affected by this loss we will be hosting an in-person Winter Clothing and Blanket Drive at 186 Ellsworth Rd, Blue Hill on Saturday October 18th from 9am-3pm.
Anything warm USED or NEW is welcome! Please deliver everything washed and clean. "

The drive is taking place Saturday October 18th at 186 Ellsworth Rd. in Blue Hill.

If you would like to contact the Brick Church directly, you can call them at (207)307-7848.

Pastor Terry Dinkins who runs the Mansion Church at 96 Center Street says he plans to reopen the warming center there for the 6th year in a row, on November 1st. It will be open nightly, from 6 PM to 7 AM until March.

Dinkins says they're in the process of expanding their basement area to accommodate more people. In past years, they've been able to take about 25 people a night. He's hoping to up that to about 50 total for this year.