Two families and four single women experiencing homelessness now have a roof over their heads.
Tuesday, HomeFirst Gwinnett, a homeless initiative partly funded by the county, opened Gwinnett’s first official homeless shelter. The Resting Spot can accommodate up to 20 women and children at full capacity, though shelter capacity is temporarily limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guests will be able to stay at the $1 million Norcross facility for up to 90 days while they receive assistance in finding transitional housing, high-paying jobs and other resources. They’ll be served two hot meals each day and have access to showers, laundry, computers, a lounge area and a full library.
”It’s more than just a facility where you sleep and get case management,” said Matt Elder, executive director of HomeFirst Gwinnett. “It’s about creating an environment where you feel like you’re somewhat at home, so you can take that deep breath in and that deep cleansing breath out.”
People staying at The Resting Spot will have access to the Norcross Assessment Center, a one-stop service provider operated by HomeFirst Gwinnett. The center helps people find resources for eviction prevention, counseling, health screenings and applying to jobs.
At a Friday event celebrating the shelter’s opening, County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people experience homelessness in Gwinnett.
“In 2017, the average age of a homeless person in Gwinnett was just six years old,” said Hendrickson, who stayed in homeless shelters as a child. “This devastating statistic illustrates how families are impacted, and it’s essential that we provide intervention to get them the assistance they need to thrive.”
County officials have worked on opening the shelter for years. In addition to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, Elder wanted additional time before opening it “to make sure we were 1,000% prepared,” he said.
Elder expects the Norcross shelter to be the first of several located in Gwinnett County. Future locations will be built to address the diverse needs of people experiencing homelessness across the county, he said.
People need to look past the stigmatization and stereotypes of homelessness, Elder said, as the issue affects people of all backgrounds. Many people without homes still work full-time jobs but have to resort to living with relatives, in their cars or at extended-stay hotels, he said.
“The homeless face doesn’t have a gender, age, religion or ethnicity,” Elder said. “(Homelessness) attacks communities indiscriminately.”
The shelter will not house single males or two-parent families, Elder said, but the assessment center will still work with these individuals to help them find somewhere to stay.
Several nonprofit and faith-based organizations in Gwinnett help homeless individuals of all genders and their families find a place to sleep, Elder said, some offering a few temporary beds or programs to get people back on their feet.
Anyone facing homelessness can call the Norcross Assessment Center at 770-847-6765 or visit homefirstgwinnett.org for assistance. The county is still accepting applications for Project RESET 2.0, its emergency rental assistance program.
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