Spooner House, a non-profit in Shelton, is experiencing an increase in demand for housing and food services. The organization serves families and individuals in need in the lower Naugatuck Valley.
Area Congregations Together Inc., a local nonprofit interfaith organization, runs Spooner House. It's a place where residents in need can go to receive assistance with emergency shelter, meals, and case management.
Spooner House is one of the few shelters in Connecticut that accommodates individuals and families with children. The non-profit served more than 200 people last year, including 37 families with children, through its shelter and support programs.
The Valley Food Bank, which operates at Spooner House, distributed more than 100,000 meals to residents last year.
The program provides local families with up to 10 days’ worth of groceries per household each month, along with emergency supplies for those in immediate need.
Susan Agamy, executive director of Spooner House, emphasized that homelessness often involves more than a lack of housing.
“Most people who come to shelter are dealing with more than just not having a place to live,” Agamy said. “There are often underlying issues that need to be addressed to help people secure and maintain permanent housing.”
Spooner House staff members such as Latesha Johnson, a case manager, say those challenges have intensified in recent years.
“I’ve been working in the mental health and housing services field for over 20 years, and there’s definitely been an increase post-COVID,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, the shelter is experiencing an increase in the number of families and young people seeking help.
Johnson believes that is due in part to the fact that informal support systems have weakened.
“In the past, many younger individuals could rely on friends or family for a place to stay,” Johnson said. “Now those same households are struggling and can’t afford to take others in.”
Johnson attributes rising housing costs as another key factor as to why more people are in need of assistance.
“Rent has increased dramatically, while wages have remained relatively consistent,” Johnson said. “More families who never imagined needing these services are now being forced to reach out.”
At the same time, the increase in demand is also outpacing the available resources.
During the winter months, Spooner House operates an overnight “No Freeze” shelter to prevent unhoused residents from being exposed to freezing temperatures.
“Our ‘No Freeze’ numbers nearly doubled this year,” Johnson said. “We have to make sure there are enough beds and enough food, so people aren’t outside during extremely cold nights.”
John says funding structures can make it difficult to respond quickly to that growth.
“The funding we receive is often based on the previous year’s numbers,” Johnson said. “When need increases suddenly, it can be challenging to keep up.”
Agamy said community support remains critical to sustaining the organization’s work.
“Financial donations are always welcome and can be used wherever the need is greatest,” Agamy said. "We also rely on donations of food, paper goods and cleaning supplies to keep our programs running.”
If you would like to make a donation to Spooner House, you can learn more by visiting http://www.actspooner.org/.
