Catholic Charities opens new warming center in Chenango County

Catholic Charities moved the county's lone warming center to a new O'Hara Drive building that offers 15 beds and operates nightly; the building was purchased for roughly $300,000 using opioid settlement funds.

Catholic Charities of Chenango County recently relocated the county's lone warming center and emergency shelter to a building on O'Hara Drive in Norwich. The site now offers 15 beds and operates each night from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. The building was purchased for roughly $300,000 using opioid settlement funds and sits across the street from the Catholic Charities office. Staff say the facility includes a kitchen, a community room and bathrooms, and that community partners have donated food and blankets. Key details: - The new facility provides 15 beds, up from the previous location's capacity of 10. - The warming center is open nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. - The building was purchased for roughly $300,000 using opioid settlement funding. - The location is across from the Catholic Charities building, allowing easy access to other local programs and services. - Staff describe the space as having a kitchen, community room and bathrooms, with donations from community partners. - Catholic Charities plans to open a Warming Recovery and Assistance Program (WRAP) to serve as a hub with outreach workers, behavioral health peers, substance abuse providers and churches, and hopes to offer 24-hour service once it opens. Summary: The move increases overnight shelter capacity in Chenango County and places the warming center near other Catholic Charities services. The organization is pursuing a WRAP center to coordinate partner services and aims for 24-hour operations once it opens. Undetermined at this time.