The Bridge homeless shelter in DeLand opens Sept. 28. Here’s what it has to offer.

DELAND — For people who live in parked cars, abandoned buildings or other unfit places, the upcoming opening of The Bridge homeless shelter in DeLand offers a glimmer of hope. 

The $2.1 million shelter, set to welcome its first residents on Sept. 28, will house up to 30 people on any given day, with the end goal of moving them into permanent housing within 30 to 90 days.

The new shelter on 421 S. Palmetto Ave. will feature a day center, where homeless people across west Volusia County can take showers, receive haircuts, and participate in yoga classes.

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But those with nowhere to go can start to receive services at The Bridge even before the end of the month. People are now being served lunch at 11:30 a.m. and dinner at 5:30 p.m.

The idea to build a new homeless shelter on the west side of the county was about two years in the making. Several shelter leaders stressed that the opening of the shelter has come at a critical time. In the past six months, the coronavirus pandemic has posed a threat to those most inclined to congregate in close quarters.

Here’s what the 7,152-square-foot shelter has to offer. 

A 'come as you are' shelter

The Bridge, a low-barrier or “come as you are” shelter, will admit residents regardless of their addiction or mental health issues. Two caseworkers will develop individual plans to help residents meet their needs, which can range from job placement to mental health treatment.

A healthcare navigator will also address the basic medical needs of residents. They will provide referrals for medical and mental health services and ensure that residents are taking their prescriptions.

The only people who will not gain access to the shelter are registered sex offenders. The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia in DeLand, which will operate The Bridge, will refer sex offenders to other shelters and housing facilities that do not house children.

People with open warrants will have to be arrested by DeLand police officers and released on their own recognizance before they can stay at the new shelter. For those who decide not to deal with their open warrants, the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia will refer them to shelters outside of the county.

For those who will soon be admitted into The Bridge, new beds await them. On the second floor of the building, 20 beds have been designated for men and 10 beds have been designated for women.

Under certain circumstances, even more people will be able to seek refuge at the shelter.

As the winter months draw near, shelter leaders are prepared to host an additional 75 people at The Bridge. The facility will serve as a cold and severe weather shelter in west Volusia County.

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“When we get to that point, our doors will be open,” said Michael Forrester, director of The Bridge shelter. “We will provide cots and safe living quarters for folks who can come and receive the care they need during those periods of inclement weather.”

A day center 'where folks are welcome'

The potential risk of coronavirus infection has pushed shelter leaders to devise a plan that will allow volunteers to safely work with homeless people. Many volunteers have offered to give haircuts, teach yoga classes, or help with job searches.

The day center will have an event called “Mercy Hour,” where members of the First United Methodist Church will sit down to talk to homeless people and offer them a light snack and a fresh change of clothes. Homeless people will also be able to use the four showers on the first floor of the building to wash up.

“We want people to come to The Bridge in lieu of hanging out downtown or in parks around the city,” said Susan Clark, executive director of the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia. “We want to have activities occurring on site, where folks are welcome to spend their day.”

A quest to quell hunger in West Volusia

The Bridge seeks to be identified as the place in west Volusia County where people are welcome for any situation related to homelessness or hunger. The demand for food assistance has soared amid the coronavirus pandemic, forcing a number of charitable organizations to rise to the challenge of feeding unprecedented numbers.

Shelter leaders hope word spreads about the hot meals being distributed twice a day at The Bridge. Inside the commercial kitchen on the first floor of the building, a kitchen manager prepares lunch for those who are homeless or low-income. A few volunteers serve lunch at 11:30 a.m.

When evening falls, faith-based or other charitable groups take over. Some arrive with premade meals, while others prepare fresh meals in the kitchen. The groups serve dinner at 5:30 p.m.

“In light of the pandemic and the effect that it had on the homeless and the community at large, the timing of the opening is good,” said DeLand Mayor Bob Apgar. “Having said that, the timing would have been good regardless because people need those services.”

Coronavirus safety plan

The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, the organization set to operate The Bridge, will implement the same safety precautions used at its emergency shelter and housing facilities at The Bridge. Those precautions have kept the vast majority of its homeless residents safe from infection. 

Since the onset of the pandemic in March, the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia has avoided an outbreak on its DeLand campus, where 10 people stay in its emergency shelter and another 70 live in its housing facilities. 

So far, the organization has only had three residents test positive for the coronavirus. Another two were isolated because they came in close contact with the infected residents, but neither contracted the disease. All five residents were quarantined in an undisclosed motel in Ormond Beach.

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The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia has implemented strict measures to protect the health of the homeless people housed on its DeLand campus. Staff members conduct frequent temperature checks, disinfect rooms and common areas, and provide referrals for testing to those who present with coronavirus symptoms.

“We believe it’s a human right to be housed,” Clark said. “We take our precautions to make sure we don’t expose any of our current folks, but we wanted to ensure that anybody who wanted to come off the street during the pandemic had a place to do that.”