A heart and home for the homeless
- December 25, 2014
- / Reggie Dogan
- / community-dashboard
Nathan Monk has a big heart for the poor and homeless.
He now has a home for them, too.
The “Community Cold Night Shelter” provides a bed, some warm food and a helping hand for women and children in Pensacola who need a temporary place to escape from the cold.
The shelter opened its doors last month in a multipurpose building owned by Greater True Vine Missionary Baptist Church at 130 N. Pace Blvd.
From 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. on nights the wind chill is predicted to fall below 40 degrees, the shelter can hold up to 100 people.
Private rooms are available for single dads with children and husbands with families who don’t have the means to keep warm through the night.
Monk, an advocate for the homeless and poor in Pensacola for years, said he’s wanted to open a shelter for some time.
He wanted to focus his energies on women and children.
On any given day, he said, hundreds of children are homeless.
Their families good at staying under the radar and invisible to keep officials at bay, he said.
Many of the women and their children stay in rundown motels, “couch-hop,” which refers to sleeping on sofas with family or friends, or resort to sleeping in their cars or outside, Monk said.
“I did a study to look at services in this area and found that the biggest gap was for women and children,” Monk said. “The question became, ‘What are we going to do about it?’”
He didn’t wait for an answer.
Monk went to work to find a place to fulfill his mission. He made inquiries and sent out email blasts.
The Rev. Isaac Williams responded to Monk’s calling.
Monk’s request came at the right time because Williams had just the right place.
Williams said when he began pastoring years ago, God had told him to take care of the homeless.
His church, Greater True Vine Missionary Baptist, had a multipurpose building that they used for events and activities, but Williams realized an even bigger purpose.
Offering the space was all part of God’s plan, Williams believed.
“I said, ‘Mr. Monk, it’s the Lord’s doing,’”
Williams said. “I’m doing what God wants me to do and people are being helped in the process.”
The shelter has a large, open room for women. Several raised green canvas cots with pillows and neatly folded blankets are spread across the floor. Five smaller rooms are available for families.
The building is stocked with toiletries, feminine hygiene products, food, drinks and coffee.
Monk said his mission is two-fold:
To provide shelter for people in need and to save lives by keeping families from using makeshift, improper heating.
He wants to prevent tragedies like the one that happened on Dec. 10 in Pensacola.
Two adults and a child died after suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by an unventilated propane heater in their home.
The family resorted to use improper heating on a cold night because their utilities had been disconnected.
“I don’t won’t to hear these things happening in our community,” Monk said.
Monk plans to keep the shelter open through the winter.
Until then, he hopes to serve as many people who need a warm place to stay to escape from the elements of nature.
Monk holds orientations to bring in and train volunteers to assist his efforts at the shelter.
Damita Rivera heard about the shelter through a friend.
On leave from his job as a restaurant manager, Rivera said she used to help the homeless and needy in Atlanta.
“I just want to get involved in things outside of myself,” Rivera said. “In day-to-day life, people are going through all kinds of stuff.”
Ryan Smith heard about Monk’s good works on Facebook.
He showed up for orientation to fill out paperwork, learn the ropes and volunteer his time to help.
“I might as well do something,” said Smith, who works full time at Hungry Howie’s. “If I don’t do it, who will?”
Monk, an advocate for the homeless and poor in Pensacola for years, said he’s wanted to open a shelter for some time.
He wanted to focus his energies on women and children.
On any given day, he said, hundreds of children are homeless.
Their families good at staying under the radar and invisible to keep officials at bay, he said.
Many of the women and their children stay in rundown motels, “couch-hop,” which refers to sleeping on sofas with family or friends, or resort to sleeping in their cars or outside, Monk said.
“I did a study to look at services in this area and found that the biggest gap was for women and children,” Monk said. “The question became, ‘What are we going to do about it?’”
He didn’t wait for an answer.
Monk went to work to find a place to fulfill his mission. He made inquiries and sent out email blasts.
The Rev. Isaac Williams responded to Monk’s calling.
Monk’s request came at the right time because Williams had just the right place.
Williams said when he began pastoring years ago, God had told him to take care of the homeless.
His church, Greater True Vine Missionary Baptist, had a multipurpose building that they used for events and activities, but Williams realized an even bigger purpose.
Offering the space was all part of God’s plan, Williams believed.
“I said, ‘Mr. Monk, it’s the Lord’s doing,’”
Williams said. “I’m doing what God wants me to do and people are being helped in the process.”
The shelter has a large, open room for women. Several raised green canvas cots with pillows and neatly folded blankets are spread across the floor. Five smaller rooms are available for families.
The building is stocked with toiletries, feminine hygiene products, food, drinks and coffee.
Monk said his mission is two-fold:
To provide shelter for people in need and to save lives by keeping families from using makeshift, improper heating.
He wants to prevent tragedies like the one that happened on Dec. 10 in Pensacola.
Two adults and a child died after suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by an unventilated propane heater in their home.
The family resorted to use improper heating on a cold night because their utilities had been disconnected.
“I don’t won’t to hear these things happening in our community,” Monk said.
Monk plans to keep the shelter open through the winter.
Until then, he hopes to serve as many people who need a warm place to stay to escape from the elements of nature.
Monk holds orientations to bring in and train volunteers to assist his efforts at the shelter.
Damita Rivera heard about the shelter through a friend.
On leave from his job as a restaurant manager, Rivera said she used to help the homeless and needy in Atlanta.
“I just want to get involved in things outside of myself,” Rivera said. “In day-to-day life, people are going through all kinds of stuff.”
Ryan Smith heard about Monk’s good works on Facebook.
He showed up for orientation to fill out paperwork, learn the ropes and volunteer his time to help.
“I might as well do something,” said Smith, who works full time at Hungry Howie’s. “If I don’t do it, who will?”
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