Fundraiser Aids Mom, Daughter Living In Car In Westborough

WESTBOROUGH, MA — A Westborough man who hosts an annual homelessness awareness event is trying to raise money for a mother and daughter who are living locally in their car.

Westborough resident John Bogaert is trying to raise $1,000 as a bridge for the pair while they apply for either shelter space or temporary housing. The mother and daughter have been living in their car for more than a month.

"Unfortunately, the homeless problem is so chronic in this state that there are so many in line before them waiting for services. Therefore, the process is very slow," Bogaert said on the GoFundMe fundraiser page.

Bogaert's annual "A Night In The Cold" raised $20,000 this year. The money will go to Worcester-based Abby's House, which is also where the homeless woman and her daughter are seeking shelter.

The state’s emergency assistance program for homeless people and families has reached a breaking point in recent months, with about 600 people temporarily housed in hotels across the state. The state's 3,600 shelter beds statewide were at capacity in mid-February.

Westborough will soon be home to a new temporary housing site for the homeless at the former state hospital campus. That facility is not set to open until May.

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