New family shelter opening in Burlington, offering stability and path to permanent housing

Read the full article at mynbc5.com. Below is an excerpt.

A new family shelter in Burlington will be opening its doors to many families on Wednesday to help homeless people find stability and a path to permanent housing.

With this pattern of intense winter weather, officials said the new space is definitely needed, and that nine families will be moving into the shelter on Pearl Street in Burlington.

The Foundations Family Shelter is moving into this newly-renovated building after operating out of the former Vermont State Police barracks in Williston.

Families will begin transitioning into the space as staff prepare to house up to 10 families at a time.

"This place, I went through it before, and it was just full of trash and needles, and it really was not livable and falling apart. And now, it looks beautiful, it looks amazing," said Adam Hall, program director through the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. "The furniture is in. Everything's painted and carpeted and clean and safe, and we've got cameras and locks."

Hall said they are preparing for nine families to move into the three-story shelter Wednesday.

It includes private rooms, shared bathrooms, common living and dining spaces, and a playroom for children, where it will be staffed around the clock.

“Our goal is to make them feel safe. We're going to provide a safe and welcoming environment for them and show them that Burlington is a great place,” Hall said.

He said there is no time limit on how long families can stay, allowing them to focus on finding permanent housing safely.

"There's no weapons, there's no smoking, there's no drugs, there's no alcohol in the property. They say this is a very high barrier. There's children here," Hall said. "Our goal is to keep the children as safe as possible. We don't even actually allow toy weapons in here. Just in case."

He said this means leaving behind conditions that were never meant for long-term living and stepping into a space designed for safety, dignity and healing.

"Some of them are living in utility closets right now. They don't have windows. It's an old office building," Hall added. "The fact that they can come into a place like this, where there are windows, some of them have stained glass windows, it's a beautiful building, and we're really excited for them to experience it."

You can contact CVOEO to learn more about how to apply. The only requirement is that you are homeless with a child under 18 years old.

Leaders said it’s not just about a place to stay, but about providing a foundation for what comes next.