10/06/2026
💡 More developments to come as we assess this situation! 💡
👉 There is a DSHA task force currently in operation to address this concern and we are working with them to see what to do next with all possible partners involved 🙏
💜 THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT A BUILDING. THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE.
Code Purple Kent County believes every person deserves safety, dignity, warmth, food, and a place to go when the temperatures drop.
For years, the Center for Neighbors in Need at People’s Community Center has provided critical support to our unhoused neighbors—including a winter overnight shelter for up to 50 men, meals, clothing, showers, laundry, food assistance, case management, referrals, and connections to other community resources.
Now, because of the ongoing zoning dispute and significant funding losses, the 50-bed winter overnight shelter is not expected to operate this winter.
And that leaves us with a very important question:
WHERE ARE THESE 50 PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO GO?
Homelessness does not disappear because a shelter closes.
❄️ Cold weather does not check zoning classifications.
🍽️ Hunger does not wait for a funding cycle.
🛏️ Someone sleeping outside does not become less vulnerable because a service is no longer available.
According to the latest reporting, the 2026 Kent County Point-in-Time count identified 277 people experiencing homelessness and 266 shelter beds.
Those numbers represent more than statistics.
They represent our neighbors.
And when another 50 winter beds are potentially removed from an already limited shelter system, we have to ask the bigger question:
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
This isn’t about ignoring neighborhood concerns, zoning requirements, funding accountability, or the challenges facing our communities.
It’s about making sure that people are not left outside while those larger issues are being resolved.
Because when winter comes, people need:
💜 Shelter
💜 Warmth and Hygiene
💜 Food
💜 Clothing
💜 Safety
💜 Support and Care
💜 Dignity and Community
💜 Somewhere to go, Charge Up and Renew
At Code Purple Kent County, our mission has always been about helping provide a hand up—not just a handout.
We believe the answer cannot simply be closing a resource without a clear alternative.
The need doesn’t disappear because a shelter closes.
The people don’t disappear because the numbers change.
And homelessness doesn’t disappear because we stop looking at it.
Let’s come together as a community, support the organizations doing this work, advocate for practical solutions, and make sure our unhoused neighbors are not forgotten when the temperatures fall.
THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE.
AND EVERY PERSON MATTERS. 💜
💡 More developments to come as we assess this situation! 💡
👉 There is a DSHA task force currently in operation to address this concern and we are working with them to see what to do next with all possible partners involved 🙏
