Homelessness

Mayor Jeremy Stutsman's statement on Homelessness in Goshen

I want to thank those who have reached out to the City for their passion and concern regarding those in our community who don’t have shelter. This is an issue the City of Goshen takes very seriously, especially when we experience extremely cold temperatures. In the past several years we have opened warming stations and directly notified those who we know are homeless about this special program. Unfortunately we never had anyone utilize the warming areas, so we shifted our approach to try and better serve this population.

Goshen Police Department and other City employees do our best to provide support to those in need. When we have severe weather, Goshen PD will notify those in need of their options. That can range from connecting them with local churches, Interfaith Hospitality Network, and even transporting them directly to the shelter in Elkhart if they wish. We will never leave anyone out on the street who is seeking shelter.

Members of the Goshen community have an important role to play in protecting the homeless.

If you are aware of someone in need during severe weather, here are some things you can do:

1. If you feel comfortable, reach out to the person directly. Ask them if they are OK and need someplace to go.
2. Notify Goshen Police Department by calling the 24 hour non-emergency number 574-533-4151. It is very important to call and not send an email or other as those messages are dependent on someone being in front of a computer. Phones calls to the 24 hour line are answered immediately. Goshen PD will contact the person and perform a life safety check, let them know of their options, and offer them transportation if they want it. If there is a medical emergency Goshen PD will notify the Goshen Paramedics immediately to get the individual the help they need. In times when Goshen PD is already experiencing high call volume, Goshen FD is there to respond as well.
3. Contact Interfaith Hospitality Network at 574-534-2300, currently a 24 hour line.
4. The City of Goshen is always interested in new ideas of how to better serve our residents. Please don’t hesitate to contact the city if needed. 574-533-9322

Thank you again for working to help those in need. Please share this information with your friends and family. Together we will be able to make a bigger difference!

Click here for a list of resources for helping the homeless population in Goshen.