The Somerville Homeless Coalition is preparing for the needs of the unhoused community as they face the upcoming winter season.

By Bella Grimaldi

The Somerville Homeless Coalition, which was established through a community-led effort in 1985, now serves over 4,500 people.

Hannah O’Halloran, the Director of Homeless Services, said that as winter approaches, there is an influx of people in Somerville who require support. “The need grows, and the City of Somerville opens up a warming center, which tends to increase the number of people staying in Somerville,” she said.

O’Halloran said in addition to the warming center, other spaces available for unhoused people to stay are the coalition’s shelter and St. Patrick’s Homeless Shelter for Women. She added that the coalition evaluates whether their shelter and engagement hours can be extended to deal with colder weather and snow.

To prepare for the winter, the coalition continues its usual programming but changes its focus, according to O’Halloran.

“Outreach again switches to the warmer gear,” she said. “We start narrowing in on wool socks, and hand warmers, hats, gloves, winter jackets. We take a look at subzero sleeping bags – all that sort of stuff.”

O’Halloran said winter gear is distributed through the coalition’s street outreach, which visits homeless encampments, or through its engagement center, which is a drop-in program accessible to unhoused people.

She said in addition to the winter gear, a great way to show support is through donations, which can be made through the coalition’s website.

“Separate from supporting the organization, I think if people are walking around outside in the winter offering to buy somebody a hot cup of coffee or giving them a gift card so then they can actually go inside a restaurant for a little while and sit in the warmth is important,” she said.

Overall, she said treating the unhoused community like they are neighbors is one of the best ways to give support.