Page 2 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2023 City Council receives update on city’s warming center at Rossetti-Cowan Operators advise city to seek alternative site due to funds, staffi ng By Barbara Taormina C hief of Health and Human Services Lauren Buck was at this week’s City Council meeting to provide an update on the warming center at the Rosetti-Cowan Senior Center which caused so much angst when it was first proposed. Seniors feared the warming center would disrupt senior center programing and put vulnerable seniors at risk for contracting covid and other illnesses. Buck began her report with some numbers. Despite the unusually mild winter, some 593 guests, which represent 93 unique individuals, visited the warming center from January 15 through March 31. An average of four people a night were at the warming center in January; eight visitors a night came to the center in February; and in March an average of 10 people a night escaped the cold at the warmNeed a hall for your special event? The Schiavo Club, located at 71 Tileston Street, Everett is available for your Birthdays, Anniversaries, Sweet 16 parties and more? Call Dennis at (857) 249-7882 for details. ANGELO’S FULL SERVICE 1978-2023 Celebrating 45 Years in Business! Regular Unleaded $3.199 MidUnleaded $3.739 Super $3.839 Diesel Fuel $3.899 Heating Oil at the Pump $4.759 $3.249 DEF HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) DEF Available by Pump! Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN A A Sun. 9AM-5PM ing center. During the three months of operation, warming center staff made three calls to police. One call was for a medical issue and the other two calls were for problems that were deescalated quickly. “There were three nights when we met full capacity,” or 15 guests, Buck told the council. Buck said the warming center was a safe operation and there were no major issues with the building and no disruption of senior center activities. The warming center was staff ed and operated by Housing Families, Inc., a Maldenbased organization that provides emergency shelter and aff ordable housing to area residents in need. Buck said the city had a good relationship with Housing Families staff, which she described as very professional. Several security cameras were installed at the senior center, including one at the front door that will continue to be maintained. According to Buck, once the warming center was up and running, staff began to see gradual signs of acceptance. The senior center bocce league, which vehemently opposed the warming center, came back to play at the senior center in March. Residents also off ered gifts and donations to the center during extreme cold snaps. “That showed we had some acceptance of the operation,” said Buck. Buck also reported there was no transmission of illnesses between guests and warming center staff or guests and senior center members. There were, however, a few minor challenges. Seniors were bothered by the smell of cleaning products that were used to clean the warming center multiple times a week, and there were complaints about cigarette butts outside the building. Buck said it was important to hear those complaints so problems could be resolved as quickly as possible. Housing Families advised the city to consider an alternative site because the senior center site used two fl oors, which required more staff and thus more funding. “We’ve proven that there is a need for this,” Buck told councillors, adding that sources of funding to keep a warming center open next winter should be found. Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri, who passionately advocated for the warming center during a meeting with a crowd of nervous seniors who opposed the idea, said, “As we can see, the warming center was a success. I would like to keep this an ongoing dialog for next year.” Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino agreed. “I think we all remember the hullabaloo about the warming center last January, and we see now that all that fear was just that, fear mongering,” said Serino. “I won’t be here next year, but I sincerely hope we have the warming center again and that it’s at the senior center.” Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Mass. Launches Big Futures Mentoring Program RHS students to receive one-to-one mentoring as part of four-year pilot B ig Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM), the state’s leading one-to-one mentoring program for youth, is teaming up with Revere Public Schools to launch Big Futures Mentoring. The new four-year pilot program to begin at the top of the 2023-2024 school year will match Revere High School freshmen with adult volunteers who will build mentoring relationships and leverage experiential learning to prepare them for post-secondary success over the course of their high school experience. “Revere High School is putting the immediate needs of its students fi rst by allowing our organization to establish a deep partnership within the school community,” said BBBSEM Chief Program Offi cer Terrance McCarron. “Students with a mentor have been shown to have improved attendance, improved academic performance, stronger peer relationships and healthier attitudes and behaviors. One more dedicated support can be the diff erence. The Big Futures Mentoring program off ers high schools the power of mentorship, packaged for teens and designed to complement class time, not compete with it, to help youth reach their fullest potential.” In Big Futures Mentoring (previously Mentor 2.0), each grade level will concentrate on different skill sets. Freshmen and sophomores will focus on relationship building and experiential learning through weekly online communication and monthly in-person meetings with additional game nights, panel discussions and other fun events throughout the school year. Juniors will hone their college and career readiness and MENTORING | SEE Page 9 Prices subject to change FLEET
3 Publizr Home