News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Friday, Victoria Purvis, homeless and prevention director at Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMCSA), is seen addressing the Alpena County Board of Commissioners and providing updates on the homeless crisis in Alpena County.

ALPENA — On Friday, the Alpena County Board of Commissioners voted to extend operations for the temporary warming shelter at the Alpena County Fairgrounds until Jan. 31.

Representatives from St. Vincent de Paul, Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMCSA), and All Saints Center of Charity also provided updates regarding the warming shelter and homelessness.

Tom LaCross, board member of St. Vincent de Paul and All Saints Center of Charity, told commissioners that St. Vincent de Paul is struggling to acquire insurance that is required to run a warming shelter.

“We … St. Vincent de Paul … daily, constantly are trying to find the insurance,” LaCross said. “We’re going nationwide to try to find insurance. It’s not automatic, and it’s not easy.”

Per the temporary agreement that was reached between Alpena County, City of Alpena, and St. Vincent de Paul, St. Vincent de Paul originally had till Tuesday to secure the necessary insurance to continue operating the shelter.

LaCross said that the process to secure that type of insurance usually takes a few months and “we’re trying to do this in a few weeks.”

“We’re having a naturally difficult time getting the insurance,” he added.

Because the board of commissioners approved the extension, St. Vincent de Paul now has till Jan. 31 to secure that insurance.

Christina Kihn, director of All Saints Center of Charity, said that since opening on Christmas Eve, they’ve had at least one person stay at the shelter each night. In total, the shelter has housed four different males and two different females; two males and one female were asked to leave since they were from out of the area. Two individuals were from Grand Rapids and one individual was from Traverse City.

Kihn explained that if shelter staff find out that a shelter guest is not from the area, the individual can stay the night but they have to leave the next day.

Victoria Purvis, homeless and prevention director at NEMCSA, said that it’s a “catch-22” regarding where homeless individuals have been staying over the holidays. She said that many acquired shelter with family, friends, or churches during the holidays and now they are “all coming back.”

Purvis said that it may take time for unhoused individuals to learn about the shelter as many of them are sleeping in the woods and probably do not have access to charge their phones.

Purvis said that as of Friday morning, her office had connected with 33 individuals all of whom had either housed themselves, had left the area, or moved on to a different shelter. She added that a “few” veterans were sent to the Patriot Place in Gaylord, where unhoused veterans can live for 120 days.

Purvis’s office also screened and contacted 66 more individuals who have not yet given NEMCSA a reply.

She added that NEMCSA will have an employee visiting encampments starting Monday, informing individuals that the shelter is open and ready for use.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.