Mercy shelter offers refuge and support to those experiencing homelessness

This article is part of a series about Mercy Fund for Ministry grant recipients and how their funded work lives out Mercy’s Critical Concerns and the Works of Mercy. 

Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation provides housing assistance and supportive services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in Hartford, Connecticut. It works to help its clients become independent and live with dignity and to end homelessness by advocating for changes to social systems that perpetuate homelessness. It welcomes and serves all in need in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, who founded the organization in 1983.

The Friendship Center, a Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation site, is one of Greater Hartford’s largest day shelters and soup kitchens. It offers daytime refuge from the weather and the dangers of life on the streets when most overnight shelters are closed. Clients have access to a comfortable facility, nutritious meals, a food pantry, showers, personal care items, health care, basic medical screenings and a case manager who can connect them with a range of community services.

Walking is an enjoyable pastime for most people, but not for David, a retired teacher in his 70s. He is experiencing homelessness for the first time, after a new landlord purchased his apartment building and evicted him from his third-floor unit. For him, walking is his primary mode of transportation.

David’s day starts with an hourlong walk to The Friendship Center from Denny’s restaurant, where he is allowed to sleep at night. A nutritious breakfast and lunch, a hot shower, clean clothes and a few encouraging words from The Friendship Center supervisor William Wicks help David refuel for his next stop—the public library—where he applies for jobs, battling the challenges that come with age and having no physical address. His days end with another long walk back to Denny’s, where he will try and rest at a table under the glaring lights of the 24-hour restaurant.

“This is somebody’s grandparent,” Wicks says. “It’s heartbreaking.” So, when David asked for some footwear to help him with his daily commute, Mr. Wicks was proud to provide him with a pair of brand-new boots that he had at home. “His feet are swollen, so even though my feet are bigger than his, they fit him perfectly. He was so appreciative.”

To learn more about The Friendship Center, click here.