NOVEMBER 15, 2024 SHELTER WASHTENAW COUNTY WINTER SHELTER OPTIONS Daytime Warming Center Ypsilanti Ypsi Freighthouse, 100 Market Place November 13 - March 28 Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Daytime Warming Center Ann Arbor Luther House Ed. Building, 1510 Hill Street November 19 - December 6 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. First Baptist Church, 517 E Washington Street December 9 - January 3 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. All Washtenaw County office building lobbies are available as warming centers during normal business hours. NEW YORK from last page city’s resources worked. I had a social worker assigned to me, someone who would help me navigate the complexities of getting a job, finding educational opportunities and eventually securing a place of my own. But as Mike had warned me early on, New York is a city that will shelter you, but it won’t feed you. There were plenty of places to get affordable food, and with my EBT card, I could buy groceries and make do. But the experience taught me a new kind of self-reliance. I quickly learned to stretch what I had, to find meals where I could, and to be mindful of how I spent my money. Every dollar counts, and with the cost of things here like cigarettes and legal weed, you learn to prioritize. Every day in New York has a rhythm, and it’s unlike any place I’ve ever been. The people here are quick, sharp and constantly in motion. You’ll see people from every walk of life — business people in suits, artists with their easels, tourists craning their necks at the skyscrapers. New Yorkers don’t have time for small talk, but when they look at you, it’s direct, almost like they’re sizing you up. In a strange way, it’s refreshing. They expect you to be as quick and self-sufficient as they are, and the city demands a kind of independence that feels both challenging and exhilarating. The other side of the hustle and bustle is the silence of Central Park, which I discovered one afternoon while exploring Manhattan. It was like stepping into another world — the noise of the streets fading into the background, replaced by birdsong, trees and the occasional jogger. The park became a place I could return to when I needed a break from the city’s intensity. It was a reminder that even in the middle of all this chaos, there was room for peace. But New York has its downsides, too, Weekend Daytime Warming Center Delonis Center, 312 W Huron Street November 11 - April 13 (normal daytime hours) Overnight Warming Center Ann Arbor Delonis Center, 312 W Huron Street November 11 - April 13 Open every night at 7 p.m. Overnight Warming Center Ypsilanti St. Luke's Church, 120 N Huron Street Starting November 11 Monday - Friday 7 p.m. to 8 a.m Emmanuel Lutheran, 201 N River St. Starting November 11 Saturday and Sunday 7 p.m. to 8 a.m especially when you’re homeless. Basic things like public restrooms, drinking fountains and outlets are hard to come by. You become keenly aware of how small conveniences — like a bathroom or a place to charge your phone — are luxuries when you don’t have a stable place to call home. The city’s Wi-Fi is good but not great, and sometimes it feels like you’re spending half your time just trying to find a place to sit down for a few minutes without being asked to move. Then there’s the garbage. New York produces so much waste that sometimes the sidewalks are piled with it, especially near the shelters. Rats are everywhere, and the subways could use more attention. But despite all of that, there’s a strange resilience in the city’s imperfections. People accept it as part of the package, and you learn to do the same. Through all of this, I’ve kept my eyes on the future. My goal is clear: to find a job, go back to school and secure a home of my own. With the help of my social worker, I’m exploring college options, looking for opportunities that will let me move forward. I know it won’t happen overnight, but every step I take feels like progress. Being here in New York, as overwhelming as it can be, has given me a sense of purpose. This journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s also been more than I ever imagined. I’m realizing a dream, piece by piece, and even on the hardest days, I feel blessed to be here. The museums, the libraries, Broadway — all of it feels like it’s right there waiting for me, a city full of possibilities, if I can just keep going. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5
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