Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! Many of you reading The Hartford Courant or watching the various Hartford news networks are well-aware of the City’s dedication to having a No Freeze Shelter in Hartford. Immaculate has been selected by the City of Hartford Health and Human Services Department to operate two No Freeze Shelters through March 31, 2010. The Hartford contract calls for up to 60 beds. 20 are located at Immaculate; and Governor Rell has offered the use of the former Second Church of Christ, Scientist, on Lafayette Street for the remaining 40-49.

In the past, the City of Hartford has contracted with the Salvation Army to operate the program. This year, the Salvation Army has declined to run the program. City officials held a number of meetings in an effort to find another provider to take over the project. As the No Freeze is consistent with our mission, Immaculate submitted to address this vital need – afterall, this is what we do, our duty.

We are running the No Freeze Shelter very much how we run our regular shelter at 560 Park Street. We’ve received many generous donations to get the No Freeze Shelter up and running, which has been helpful. However, the challenge we face is feeding the additional 49 men at the No Freeze Shelter each night. Our food groups, who already have increased their meals from feeding 60 to 80 to now 100 men, can’t afford to increase again to 150 people. Immaculate has hired a cook and is purchasing food for the many nights we do not have a group able to provide meals.

Many people are forming their own “food groups” to assist the No Freeze. Parents are cooking with their kids and coming to the shelter and serving the men as a lesson. Sisters and brothers are coming together to cook and serve the food as well. Co-workers and friends are reaching out to us as well. Wanting to contribute, they are contacting us to assist with the cooking and serving of meals.

However, the No Freeze will remain open through March 31st. That’s a lot of nights that we need food coverage, and so far, not enough people have reached out to us.

Should you be interested in cooking for the No Freeze Shelter, please contact Immaculate’s Food Group Coordinator, Katie Gosen, at Katie@icshc.org and she will work out the details with you.

Lastly, this great undertaking could not have happened so quickly and efficiently without the dedication of the following leaders and their staffs: Governor M. Jodi Rell, Mayor Eddie Perez and the Commissioner of Public Works, Raeanne V. Curtis. Contributions from local corporations such as Aetna, Travelers and Northland Investment Corporation were immeasurable in allowing us to open the No Freeze without delay. And of course to my staff, many of whom worked above and beyond to make sure that the No Freeze became a reality this year.

Sincerely,

Fred Lynn
Executive Director