BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering opened this weekend — a place for those in need to "have a healthy, hearty meal and get a restful night’s sleep,” Executive Director Bob Rapp said.
And officials say those seeking assistance are likely to include people who are part of an encampment along the Lehigh River that property owner and railroad giant Norfolk Southern has requested be broken up by Dec. 15.
The seasonal overnight shelter at 75 E. Market St., its entrance at the rear of Christ Church United Church of Christ, will be open seven days a week through April 30.
Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering opens at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, where those in need can "have a healthy, hearty meal and get a restful night’s sleep.”BES Executive Director Bob Rapp
Managers and monitors for the shelter operation gathered on Wednesday afternoon for training on the intake and reporting system used to record guest information like medications, job status, emergency contacts and more.
Staff last week also were instructed on proper CPR and AED use, and took part in anti-bias training to prepare for the shelter’s opening.
“It teaches us to examine our own biases,” Rapp said. “It gets to the root of people’s trauma and issues and how it affects the rest of their lives.”
First come, first served
The shelter is first come, first served and working with “a pretty hard-and-fast” 70 beds, Rapp said. The operation averaged 65 people a night last season, he said.
Guests 18 or older, with a proper voucher from the Bethlehem Police Department in hand, will be given a blanket, two sheets, pillow and pillowcase, and assigned a bed upon their arrival at BES.
They’re allowed to bring two bags of any size for personal belongings; guests also get a personal storage bin for their bunk area.
Guests 18 or older, with a proper voucher from the Bethlehem Police Department in hand, will be given a blanket, two sheets, pillow and pillowcase, and assigned a bed upon their arrival.
The shelter sports a multi-purpose room that can be used for anything from drug- and alcohol-abuse counseling, to physical therapy or spiritual meetings for religious organizations.
A computer in the room is available for guests to check email and the like.
A nurse with Valley Health Partners Street Medicine will be at the shelter on Tuesdays and Thursdays to assist with some health care needs.
Help always appreciated at BES
Rapp said local volunteers, some from faith-based, sports and corporate groups, go above and beyond providing home-cooked meals such as roasted chicken with potatoes and corn, and meatloaf with mashed potatoes and coleslaw — for guests, seven nights a week.
This season, volunteers are keeping a keen eye on portion control and salt intake, he said.
“There’s a difference between overfeeding them at each individual meal and not getting enough food. It’s hard on your body and your metabolism when you’re trying to do your whole day’s intake in one meal, so you’ve got to strike a balance of sorts.”Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering Executive Director Bob Rapp
“There’s a difference between overfeeding them at each individual meal and not getting enough food,” Rapp said.
“It’s hard on your body and your metabolism when you’re trying to do your whole day’s intake in one meal, so you’ve got to strike a balance of sorts.”
A weekend lunch ministry served almost 160 people on a recent Saturday. It’s been a yearslong partnership between BES and the church.
“We found out very quickly that 60 percent of the folks that we served were actually folks who lived in the area but were food-insecure, right here in the historic district of Bethlehem,” Rapp said.
“I think it’s closer to 70 percent now — folks who just can’t make ends meet.”
Working alongside Bethlehem Area Public Library, BES also offers a community resource navigator at the library, 11 W. Church St., next to City Hall, for assisting those in need with coordinating housing and food, job searching and more.
The hours are 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Rapp said financial contributions to the shelter are welcome, and a wish list and volunteer information can be found on the BES website.
