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Last Night at the Grace Café
by
Philly IMC | 04.17.2006
The Grace Café, a safe haven for some of the most vulnerable homeless in the city, is closing its doors after tonight. A new initiative between the City, Project HOME, Arch Street Methodist Church and other homeless service providers, the café has been successful at bringing hundreds of individuals off the street. Watch a flash video documenting Grace Café
"The main success is that we provided a place where folks wouldn't freeze to death on the city streets," said Robin Hynicka, pastor of the United Methodist Church. "The program model was to provide a safe non-obtrusive place for people who couldn't maneuver in the city shelter system." The program served 50 to 70 persons per night and 500 different persons over the course of the winter. It was open from 10pm at night until early in the morning. It provided coffee, a meal, and entertainment. It didn't provide beds though clients were allowed to sleep. The Café was offered to a selected list of chronically homeless individuals who were known the city's homeless outreach teams. The program was so popular that most nights persons had to be turned away. One of the most remarkable elements of Grace Café is that it was successful at bringing in persons who have refused to go into shelter and have spent previous winters out on the street. Many of these individuals suffer from severe mental health issues that make it very difficult for them to receive services. While it is disheartening that the program is ending, many of those who came in for the first time are accepting placement in shelter and other services which is a major victory. The closing of Grace Café also coincides with the closing of almost two hundred emergency shelter beds that the city provides as part of the "Winter Initiative". On April 13th the Cecil B. Moore Rec Center at 22nd and Lehigh which housed 100 individuals closed. The third floor of the Ridge Avenue shelter, which housed another 70 also recently closed. Many of those placed in those emergency beds for the winter are now out on the street. Grace Café is closing for the summer due to a lack of funding. It is hoped that the program will begin again next October. Visit Philly IMC's Homeless Resource Page
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Comments
homelessness affects all of us
Submitted by Alex (not verified) on Tue, 04/18/2006 - 8:39amI'm glad to see this type of coverage about Philadelphia's homeless crisis.
It is interesting to see how somewhat alternative approaches to curing homelessness can be so effective.
Grace Cafe homeless success
Submitted by John S. James (not verified) on Tue, 04/18/2006 - 10:47amSuch models of success need to be known to other cities. A writeup for other agencies is needed.
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