ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ANS) -- In less than a couple of weeks, Albuquerque will lose about 200 beds for the homeless.

That’s because the seasonal Albuquerque Westside Winter Shelter, funded by the City of Albuquerque and run by the Albuquerque Rescue Mission, will be ending its current run on March 14.

That worries me, as well as my staff at Joy Junction, New Mexico’s largest emergency homeless shelter, and is obviously of great concern to Albuquerque’s growing homeless population.

One effect of the closure will be that Joy Junction, already at capacity on a nightly basis, will see a dramatic increase in people needing assistance. However, Joy Junction is already nightly turning away people in need – and currently referring them to the Westside Shelter.

Prior to the Westside Shelter opening for its most current season, Joy Junction was typically turning away between 10 to 25 people nightly. I believe there could be many more people than that needing assistance, but once Joy Junction is full the word quickly gets out on the street and people stop calling.

Tragically, many of these precious souls will end up sleeping on Albuquerque’s dangerous streets. With the scheduled closure of the Westside Shelter, there are almost zero emergency housing options available for the city’s burgeoning homeless population once Joy Junction is full.

So what is the Westside Shelter? Open from Nov. to March each year, it provides a much needed winter respite for those living on the streets. With facilities typically housing about 200 people, it is an invaluable resource.

But what happens between March and Nov? What options are available for the homeless population after the Westside Shelter closes? It’s important to realize that the environmental conditions in these eight months are still very dangerous. For example, dehydration and heat stroke are a tangible reality during Albuquerque’s upcoming summer and fall months.

The Albuquerque Westside’s closure, while possibly an economic necessity, leaves a handful of agencies and organizations, such as Joy Junction, struggling to accommodate the influx of people in need.
Joy Junction, for example, funded entirely by the private sector, is already busier than it ever has been in its almost 24-year history. Sheltering about 150 people a night only a few years ago, the organization now houses as many as 300 people nightly.

In addition to providing shelter and other resources, Joy Junction feeds about 10,000 meals monthly on site at its 52- acre facility, and as many as 6,000 meals each month on the Lifeline of Hope, its newest outreach.

The Lifeline, donated by Summit Electric’s Vic Jury, is on the road five days a week, making stops at many of Albuquerque’s homeless hot spots. In addition to hot food, sack lunches and beverages, when available the Lifeline gives hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping bags and clothing.

A homeless woman, recently assisted by the Lifeline of Hope, told me a few days ago, “Thanks so much for the food. I’ll see you once the Westside closes!”

I do hope that we’ll have the space to give her the shelter and other help she needs, but at this point there are no guarantees – and that’s not only scary, it’s downright tragic!

Jeremy Reynalds is a freelance writer and the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Now You See Me." Additional details on some of Reynalds' previous books are available at http://www.HomelessBook.com. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net. Tel: (505) 400-7145.