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To prepare for this relief initiative, employees from the city’s Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Emergency Shelter Services (OESS), and Housing Authority (PHA) were dispatched to set up shelters and coordinate services for the incoming evacuees. Volunteers from the community as well as local social service providers aided in these efforts to convert two former school buildings (Palumbo and Wannamaker) into emergency shelters.

Shortly after the city’s call to action, the former John Wannamaker school building, located at 11th and Cecil B Moore, was transformed into a welcoming center and shelter. The space is now equipped with approximately 225 beds, 25 showers, 2 recreation rooms, 2 computer labs, a phone bank, fitness center, medical clinic, and cafeteria. The shelter, which is air-conditioned and has 24-hour security, has several rooms stocked with donations such as food, clothing, bedding, cribs, books, toys, games, and toiletries. Activity schedules are posted around the building advertising trips that range from sporting events to mall shopping trips.

In addition to these concrete resources, the shelter serves as a one-stop-shop in which evacuees can access social services and government relief programs. The old gym has been transformed into a makeshift but user-friendly intake area in which individuals and families can meet with representatives from FEMA, PEMA, American Red Cross, Department of Public Welfare, USPS, Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, Department of Insurance, and the Philadelphia Housing Authority – all without the typical long lines and waits. Staff from various community groups and agencies are also present at the shelter to provide services such as counseling, childcare, legal support, and pastoral care -- for both residents and walk-in evacuees.

Despite this massive initiative and successful assembling of resources for hurricane evacuees, as of Monday 9/26, the Wannamaker shelter has reportedly housed only 73 people. Volunteers at the shelter have noted that numbers are lower than expected because fewer people were flown in from Houston than expected. It was also reported that most of the individuals and families served at Wannamaker have been walk-ins who are staying with family and friends in the Philadelphia area and heard about the services through community members. As of 9/19, staff estimated that about 400 walk-ins had been served. At this time, there has been no indication that the Palumbo site has been used to house or provide services to any evacuees.

It’s a rare event that we have such a consortium of support services assembled in Philadelphia -- and beyond that, operating reasonably efficiently. Please help spread the word to Katrina or Rita evacuees that these resources are available.