WORCESTER — In response to dangerously cold temperatures affecting the city’s unhoused population, St. John’s Food for the Poor Program held an emergency planning meeting on Friday evening to organize a safe, temporary shelter plan.
Dozens of volunteers, community organizers, and local partners gathered at the St. Francis Xavier Center on Temple Street to coordinate the effort. The team announced plans to open the shelter doors as early as Saturday, January 31, but they stressed that the operation relies entirely on community support.
The urgency of the meeting was driven by the events of the past weekend, where staff and volunteers witnessed the harsh reality facing their guests. Organizers described the “double-edged sword” of seeing residents warm and safe during meal times, only to be heartbroken watching them return to the freezing cold afterward…