MADISON, Wis. — Hundreds of people in the Madison area have already made use of the city’s newest men’s shelter in the two weeks since it opened.
The space on Zeier Road near East Towne Mall replaced a different temporary shelter that closed to make room for the proposed Madison Public Market.
Fares Fares works as the shelter manager through Porchlight and he said the new space has allowed him to better serve some of the most vulnerable people in Madison.
“I like that it’s all in one big room so it’s much easier to keep track of everyone–to forge relationships with the guests,” Fares said. “I enjoy being on the frontlines of offering services and dignity and respect to the essentials of human rights to our clients.”
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While the space is temporary, the city spent more than a million dollars renovating it, making it more functional and offering some comforts for those in need. The shelter includes lockers to store belongings overnight, community dining tables and better bathrooms.
Liz Stanislawski, the spokesperson for the city’s Department of Community Planning and Economic Development, said so far those changes have been well received, a success she attributes to a lot of planning.
“We kind of saw some possible barriers upfront that we needed to combat with communication–just comfortability,” she said. “We were able to do that pretty well.”
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Since it opened two weeks ago, as many as 205 people on any given night have used the shelter. Stanislawski said should the need for more beds continue to rise, the shelter on Zeier Road can accommodate up to 250 people.
Anywhere between five to seven people staff the shelter. That includes at least two case managers and a security guard who checks guests’ belongings for drugs, alcohol or weapons at entry.
For Fares, the shelter is a good balance of safety, security and compassion, an environment he said is crucial, especially for people who are battling mental health issues or trying to get sober.
The city has plans to open a permanent shelter on Bartillon Drive by mid-2025.
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