Center provides warmth for homeless men of Glen Cove

Homeless men will no longer have to suffer frigid temperatures outdoors because a new day center has opened in Glen Cove that is offering them shelter.

The center, which opened at the First Baptist Church of Glen Cove on Jan. 17, works in conjunction with the night shelter at the First Presbyterian Church, which houses homeless men overnight from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The day center is currently only available to men who also use the night shelter, and a sign-in sheet is used to keep track of those who come in. It is open from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The new shelter took nearly a year of planning by a committee that included representatives from various Glen Cove religious organizations and establishments, spearheaded by Deputy Mayor Maureen Basdavanos.

The current operations at the center are hopefully just the beginning of what will be a more comprehensive project to assist the homeless men. It’s a three-month pilot program, funded entirely by donations, Basdavanos said, “just to get a feel for what the homeless community needs and what they’ll be receptive to.”

The idea for the day center came after Glen Cove residents reached out to city officials asking for help, she said. “It all started from some concerns that community members had raised about what seemed to be a lot more homeless people out on the street with nowhere to go,” she explained.

Many of the homeless have been forced to take shelter in public spaces such as the library, senior center and coffee shops to get out of the cold. Basdavanos said that the committee, formed in February 2018, wanted to make sure that these men had a permanent place to stay during the day instead of relying on places where they may not be entirely welcome.

After months of planning, the committee approached Reverend Roger C. Williams of the First Baptist Church, asking if he would be willing to provide space for the day center. Williams told the Herald Gazette that the other members of the church “voted overwhelmingly” to open up the center after a night of prayer.

“We have a mandate by our faith to be a resource for those who are less fortunate,” Williams explained. “We’re very glad to be hosting.”

Men who use the day center’s services have access to food, coffee, and entertainment, such as board games, television and movies. There is also a counselor available at all times for the men and the church also tries to have at least two volunteers working each day.

Church Mother Alice Pound is at the center every day to care for the day-to-day operations. She helps the men to become acclimated, gives them direction, and an opportunity to help her by doing chores.

She said when she heard about the center she was interested immediately in becoming involved. “I have a responsibility to my church,” Pound said. “I love my church, so I said I would come down and help for the first few weeks.”

Williams said he has seen a very positive response from the individuals who take part in the day center. “The men who have come have really enjoyed their time here and appreciate the fact that we provide this service,” he said.

One of those men is Michael G., who preferred not to provide his full name. Prior to the opening of the center he would take a bus to Hempstead to seek refuge at a soup kitchen. He said that when he heard about the day center from people at First Presbyterian, he was relieved.

“I thought it was good,” Michael G. said. “At least it’s some place to keep warm. I don’t like standing out on the street all day.”

Mayor Tim Tenke said that he has been a supporter of the day center throughout its development. “I’m always of the opinion that we should help those less fortunate than us,” he said.

Tenke and Basdavanos said that they are also looking to institute counseling services which would concentrate on issues that include addiction and housing in the future. “I’m glad that we’re finally up and running and looking forward to it becoming better and better,” said Basdavanos.