By Heather Graves
Correspondent
BROWN COUNTY – Being homeless is challenging, especially during the holiday season.
“The holidays can be difficult for our guests,” said Alexa Priddy, director of community engagement for St. John’s Homeless Shelter. “Reminding them of family they may have lost, resolutions that didn’t stick and the dreams they have that have yet to come true.”
Being homeless during the holidays – during a pandemic – adds a new set of challenges.
The lack of a place to call home, financial concerns, the absence of holiday traditions coupled with the anxiety surrounding the virus can take a toll on an already vulnerable population, Priddy said.
“Each year around the holidays we have traditionally had a day of decorating the shelter with staff, guests and volunteers,” she said. “This year, we won’t be able to do that. We know that is what is best for everyone’s health and safety, yet it will be a significant part of our holiday tradition that will change this year – not being able to bring our St. John’s family together.”
New Community Shelter Executive Director Terri Refsguard said sadness and depression are common with residents at the shelter, especially during the holidays, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exasperated those feelings.
Because of this, Refsguard said the shelter is doing whatever it can to keep things as close to normal as possible, while still remaining safe.
During her years at the New Community Shelter, she said she has been incredibly humbled by the reaction of its residents during the holiday season.
“I have seen tears over a brand new T-shirt because the gentleman couldn’t remember the last time he had a brand new white T-shirt,” Refsguard said. “That is what makes it imperative to me that we continue our traditions to the best of our ability.”
Cheeia Lo, executive director of Golden House, Green Bay’s only domestic violence shelter, said she recognizes the struggles the community has endured these last months and echoes the need to provide a sense of community during the holidays.
Golden House has seen a significant increase in need for support since the onset of the pandemic, and Lo said she knows the approaching holidays are likely to bring even more stress and anxiety.
“The holidays can be a stressful time, especially for those who are experiencing domestic violence,” Lo said. “It is so important to still do things with and for our clients to help them feel a sense of normalcy in their life. We also want to eliminate any barriers that our clients may be facing during the holiday time, so we try to help with whatever we can.”
With safety in mind, Golden House plans to still provide a holiday party to its clients – just in a different way.
“Unfortunately, the changes we are making may have to become our new norm, but we are still hoping to keep the holiday spirit alive in everyone, even during the pandemic,” she said. “We do know that clients who are accessing our services now have even higher barriers than before, so we do expect that it will become a bit busier when the days get closer.”
In years past, the New Community Shelter has provided holiday meals, a decorated facility and a special Christmas Eve celebration with gifts and fellowship.
While the pandemic has forced the shelter to reinvent how it does things, Refsguard said staff intends to keep the shelter’s traditions alive.
“Knowing our team working at the shelter, it will work out somehow,” she said. “We have the most dedicated employees, and I am so very proud of them all.”
Refsguard said the shelter will still offer the holiday meals it normally does, but will continue to serve meals in a to-go capacity.
New Community also plans to continue Project Christmas, an annual tradition where presents collected from the community are given to residents.
“I hope we still have community members bring in presents for our residents, but people are shopping differently and there are so many challenges individual families are facing,” Refsguard said. “We will have to hope for the best. Our residents and staff have always been so appreciative of every donation we have ever received. I am so very concerned that people will forget about donating to the shelter in the future.”
Refsguard said while giving looks different, the shelter still welcomes the help.
“We have a great need for winter coats, warm gloves, hats and scarves,” she said. “We also need hygiene items and cleaning products, and of course items for our residents for Christmas.”
Golden House is continuing its Adopt A Family program this year.
“We hope to provide families with whatever resources they need around the holiday time,” Lo said. “We are grateful for our community and the support that we receive. Our clients would not be able to have a spectacular holiday season if it was not for our community.”
St. John’s also offers a variety of options to help in a non-contact, safe capacity.
“It is on us and our entire community to continue to find ways to support one another, to offer love and to bring the spirit of the holidays to those in need even if from afar,” Priddy said.
As the holiday season approaches, Refsguard said she chooses to focus on the resilience of shelter residents and the generosity of the community.
“You keep the lights on, food on the table, and support a place where people can come to be safe and get back on their feet and become self-sufficient again,” she said.