Malden Warming Center Sharing Love, Seeking Volunteers

The following was submitted by the Malden Warming Center:

The Malden Warming Center (MWC) is a nighttime seasonal warming center for individuals experiencing homelessness. MWC provides temporary indoor shelter, hot food and drink, and personal items. MWC also partners with local organizations to source housing and employment assistance, healthcare and behavioral services, and substance use disorder treatment. Since opening three years ago, MWC has served over 300 individuals and guided over a dozen individuals into housing and healthcare programs. It's the only low-barrier service center for the homeless north of the Mystic River and Chelsea Creek in the greater Boston area. MWC volunteers have different motivations. Some volunteer as an expression of religious faith or political ideology, others as community service or a bonding activity with loved ones. MWC is not run by social workers or human services. It’s run by a diverse collection of hard workers who believe in mutual aid. They see themselves as regular people - and they see guests that way as well.

Pastor Gerry Whetstone, the director and founder, bases the program off the Christian approach to hospitality. “We provide for those in need, but we don’t reduce them to their needs,” he says. “They’re not clients, they’re guests.” MWC prefers the term “guest” because it humanizes certain homeless demographics that are typically demonized. Some guests suffer from debilitating mental and physical health conditions. Some are domestic violence or sex trafficking victims. Some recently lost their homes or jobs and are trying to get back on their feet. Volunteers are trained to treat guests with compassion regardless of their circumstances.

Volunteers build strong connections with guests and are regularly updated on their personal lives. It’s not uncommon for volunteers to know exactly how guests take their coffee or which blankets they prefer. Personalized attention is so much a part of MWC’s culture that guests are given individualized Christmas gifts. The idea came from dedicated volunteers who want to do something special to cap off a difficult year - especially for homeless populations.

Massachusetts ranks third highest in the nation for homelessness, despite being only the fifteenth most populous state. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of homeless individuals living in outdoor encampments has increased, most notably in the famous Boston tent city on Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard (Mass & Cass) which the city plans to permanently dismantle. Some of these individuals will be displaced into surrounding suburbs. Malden’s diversity, mix of urban and suburban landscape, and MBTA access have made it a favorite spot for homeless populations for decades.

MWC is closely following the situation at Mass & Cass. Volunteers are already seeing new faces and regularly turning guests away due to capacity limits. (Unlucky guests are provided with food, drinks, clothing, and information on where else to go for the evening). As the weather worsens and more individuals are displaced from Boston, volunteers will need more time and resources to keep up with demand.

Kate Ray, the assistant director, is working to improve day-to-day efficiency, overhaul funding and resource strategies, and build support networks within the Malden community. “The first year we opened, we were a bare-bones operation trying to survive,” she says. “We’re evolving into a well-oiled machine and focusing on sustainability rather than keeping the lights on. Not quite there yet, but we’re close.”

MWC is mainly funded by private donations, with some help from grants and city funding. MWC’s administration and volunteers do not take salaries. This year, MWC is focused on community engagement and partnerships with businesses and mutual aid groups. When asked how best to support MWC, Ray admits that as a volunteer herself, she’s a little biased. “It’d be great to get more local citizens involved,” she says. “It’s hard to say that we just need monetary and supply donations. There’s no center without our amazing volunteers.”

The season lasts from December 1st to March 31st. Doors open at 7:00 PM and close at 8:00 AM the following morning with transportation provided for guests to the Malden Center MBTA station. For more information, please visit www.maldenwarmingcenter.org.