A nonprofit in Chelsea, Massachusetts, opened its doors Tuesday as a day shelter for people in need of homes.
La Colaborativa — or the Collaborative in English — had been working with the state for several weeks to make room inside their offices and be able to shelter 200 people during the day.
"In total right now, we have 212 people, including families from Haiti, Venezuela, Peru and other countries," said Alex Train, chief operating officer of La Colaborativa.
Earlier Tuesday, NBC10 Boston was given exclusive access to the areas where the homeless will be able to spend the day while the staff offers them meals, clothing and case management services.
Most, if not all, of the people who will be brought to the day shelter are immigrants who are staying overnight at another shelter in Cambridge, which is occupied during office hours by the Middlesex County Registry of Deeds.
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La Colaborativa said it's receiving grants from the state's safety net shelter program in order to help ease the burden on the other shelters, which Gov. Maura Healey's office said are at capacity.
"This is a place that is going to prep them. It's going to evaluate what their needs are but they're going to prep them so they can immediately find a job," said Gladys Vega, executive director at La Colaborativa. "Many of them have work authorizations. If they don't have work authorizations, we will do, fill out the applications, get them with the immigration lawyer and immediately our hope is to prepare resumes and get them to work."
The plan is to shuttle the families from Cambridge and other parts of Chelsea and bring them to La Colaborativa each morning until it's time to return them to the night shelters at the end of the day.
Train said La Colaborativa had to open the shelter as an overflow site, emphasizing that this is not impacting the organization's day-to-day services.
Enyi, a Venezuelan immigrant, crossed into the U.S. two months ago with her husband and children in order to pursue their dream of working in America for a better life.
"It's been a tough journey," she said. "But thank God we're here. Everyone who's received us has treated us like family."
La Colaborativa says the shelter is being funded through a grant from Massachusetts' safety net shelter program with the United Way. But the charity says it is still in need of donations to supply basic hygiene products, diapers, baby formula and other necessities.
La Colaborativa said funding will allow them to do this through the end of June.
