EMERGENCY SHELTER IN THE WORKS FOR LOCAL HOMELESS AMID COVID-19 OUTBREAK

An emergency shelter is being established on the Kingston Highway to house the homeless of Rome and Floyd County amid concerns over the coronavirus. The statewide shelter-in-place order issued by Governor Brian Kemp remains in effect through April 30th. The shelter will offer safe haven to locals in need as all Georgians do their part to curb the spread of the virus.

The space for the temporary homeless shelter was offered at no charge by Dr. John Cowan. It will allow men, women and children to be housed at the same place, separately and safely, according to Alli Mitchell, Executive Director of the United Way of Rome and Floyd County. Shelter directors and city leaders have worked together to prepare this shelter with respect to social distancing and space to isolate those who exhibit any symptoms of the virus.

Mitchell attests that her organization has received an increase in phone calls in recent days from people in search of housing. Many of them who already faced housing instability have now also lost their hourly jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This temporary shelter is made possible through a collaborative effort among the United Way of Rome and Floyd County, the William S. Davies Homeless Shelters, the Salvation Army, the City of Rome, and Dr. Cowan’s Chapel Hill Sports Academy. It is expected to open next week.