COVINGTON, Ky. — It’s difficult to be homeless any time of the year, according to Kim Webb, executive director of the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. But she feels it’s an even bigger challenge during the holiday season.
With that in mind, Webb and her team, along with other types of shelters across the region, have worked the last several weeks to make this time of year special for those they serve.
What You Need To Know
- Several shelters in greater Cincinnati are hosting holiday-centric events to help create a sense of normalcy for clients
- The holiday season can be especially difficult for those who are unhoused, according to local homelessness prevention advocates
- Events range from creating tree ornaments to Christmas carolers to hosting holiday feasts
- Shelter leaders say they’re appreciative of the outpouring of support during the holidays, but hope to see similar support the rest of the year
The Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky decked out its Covington, Ky. facility to bring some of the holiday spirit to its clients. (Photo courtesy of Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky)
“Like anyone, our guests remember holidays of the past surrounded by family and friends, and for many of them it’s much different now because they’re in shelter,” she said. “We work with our volunteers and partner organizations to uplift their spirits and give them a break from the day-to-day reality of being unhoused and struggles that go along with it.”
ESNKY provides immediate low-barrier entry shelter and services to adults experiencing homelessness or living in substandard housing.
The Covington, Ky.-based organization also functions as northern Kentucky’s only emergency cold shelter.
In February, ESNKY opened a new facility on West 13th Street. It has 68 beds and has a Daytime Navigation Center that lets guests take showers, do laundry and charge their cellphone. They also have an onsite medical clinic and community partner rooms.
While those services are in place throughout the year, during the holiday months, they try to spruce up the place with seasonal decorations and activities, such as carolers.
A big hit is the team of volunteer carolers who visit and belt out popular holiday songs, Webb said. She expects a similar response later this week when Santa Claus makes a “surprise” visit.
“It’s really just incredible to witness the giddiness and the joy that comes from grown adults seeing Santa all dressed up and handing out gifts,” Webb said with a smile on her face. “The shelter gets filled with a lot of laughter. It’s really just a nice break and helps bring some of that holiday cheer.”
One of the holiday activities ESNKY does every year centers on the signing and mailing of holiday cards. Beyond being a fun tradition, it also has a practical purpose, Webb said.
“Anybody who accesses our shelter can use it as their own address,” she added. “This Christmas card activity allows guests to take part in a holiday tradition some of us take for granted while also letting loved ones know how to reach them.”
Providing a bit of normalcy for the holidays
Because ESNKY operates as an emergency shelter, they see different faces each night. With that in mind, they’ve tried to space out some of their events and programs to ensure as many guests as possible get to take part in the pageantry and benefit from those services.
The typical stay at one of YWCA of Greater Cincinnati’s two facilities is about 30 days, according to Hali Greene, shelter manager.
The confidential shelters provide a safe space for survivors of intimate partner violence and their children. The organization offers immediate safety and protection and assists survivors with finding secure housing. It also helps with other needs, like finding a job or pursuing protection orders.
The YWCA assists about 530 adults and children every year at its facilities in Clermont and Hamilton counties. They’re still operating at reduced capacity because of the pandemic, Greene said, but the agency can accommodate up to 40 survivors with their families at a time.
Greene said she expects there to be about 20 children at the shelters on Christmas morning.
YWCA typically experiences an increase in hotline calls during the holidays because more people are off work and at home, Green said. She noted that many people also struggle with finances, which can lead to abusive situations.
“Nobody wants to be in a shelter,” Greene said. She called their need to be there “one of the most challenging times in their lives.”
The YWCA of Greater Cincinnati is collecting gifts through Dec. 22 to give to the men, women and children there this holiday season. (Photo courtesy of YWCA of Greater Cincinnati)
Many of YWCA’s clients are dealing with trauma, Greene added. And she believes emphasis on family and loved ones this time of year can exacerbate those feelings.
For that reason, the YWCA wants to do what it can to create a sense of normalcy in their clients’ lives, Greene said. They have holiday parties that include activities like cookie decorating and making ornaments.
They’re going all-out on Christmas dinner with turkeys, hams and all the other yuletide classics, Greene said.
“We definitely want to help our clients enjoy their time with their children in a comfortable, inviting setting,” she added. “Everyone deserves some holiday cheer.”
Kevin Finn, president and CEO of Strategies to End Homelessness, described homelessness as the “progressive stripping away of everything that you and I might consider normal.”
“There’s so many things that for most of us are just a normal part of everyday life that you just don’t have when you’re homeless,” he said. “A Christmas tree and Christmas presents are those kinds of things that we might take for granted, but to a person who doesn’t have those things, they represent so much more than that.”
Greene stressed they couldn’t accomplish any of its efforts without the support of the community. The YWCA has had volunteers wrap gifts, sing and take part in crafts. Others have given in-kind donations or donated money to buy presents.
A team of ESNKY volunteers assembled gift bags for shelter guests. The packages contain a mixture of practical necessities and winter items and a “sweet treat or other goodies” to keep their spirits elevated, Webb said.
Meal donors enabled the shelter to create special dinner menus for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Webb added. She mentioned there’s going to be a special brunch on Christmas as well.
“Since I’ve been at the helm of the organization, I’ve got to see the best of humanity,” Webb said. “I see people in crisis and I see a community that comes together to wrap their arms around them and provides support and care and compassion when someone is really struggling.”
Make it Christmas all year round
Webb reiterated that homelessness and support services won’t end on Dec. 26. In fact, she envisions the need for shelters to increase soon because of a lack of affordable housing.
A group of holiday volunteers for the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. The shelter, and others like it, rely on volunteers during the holiday and all year round. (Photo courtesy of Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky)
In the immediate future, she’s expecting a busy next few months. With temperatures dropping rapidly, the need for a warm bed and hot meal is on the rise, Webb said.
It costs more than $35 to shelter one guest for one night, Webb said.
Both Greene and Webb vocalized appreciation for the outpouring of the support they’ve received so far this holiday season. But they reminded residents that hundreds of individuals and families rely on them all year long.
“We are so thankful for the outpouring of love and support we receive during the holidays, but the work we do is 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Greene said. “If you can do so, please continue to show that same level of support throughout the year.”
To some extent, people experiencing homelessness are sometimes almost overwhelmed with the generosity that they experience from the community in a short period from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Finn said.
“And then they transition to experiencing very little kindness or cheer being made available to them for the other 11 months of the year,” he added.
Organizations that help people who are hungry or homeless are “completely overwhelmed” with volunteers during the holidays, Finn said.
“Mark your calendar for six months after Christmas, or three months after Christmas or nine months after Christmas, and go do something to help somebody who’s less fortunate then,” he added. “There’s always someone who could use it.”
Additional information about the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky and YWCA of Greater Cincinnati are available on their respective websites.
