{"id":18402,"date":"2015-12-02T20:32:29","date_gmt":"2015-12-03T01:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/12\/shelters-of-saratoga-gears-up-its-code-blue-program-and-has-new-plans-in-coming-year.html"},"modified":"2017-11-08T13:46:54","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T18:46:54","slug":"shelters-of-saratoga-gears-up-its-code-blue-program-and-has-new-plans-in-coming-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/12\/shelters-of-saratoga-gears-up-its-code-blue-program-and-has-new-plans-in-coming-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Shelters Of Saratoga Gears Up Its 'Code Blue' Program And Has New Plans In Coming Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

\"shelters\n<\/div>\n

\n

Michael A. Finocchi of Shelters of Saratoga,
\nstands amid shelves stocked with food.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

BY JILL NAGY<\/p>\n

This is the busiest time of the year for Shelters of
\nSaratoga, as they gear up for Code Blue and initiate
\nnew programs for the holidays and beyond, Executive
\nDirector Michael A. Finocchi noted.<\/p>\n

In addition, more people seek shelter as the
\nweather gets colder.<\/p>\n

Since last August, Shelters of Saratoga has been
\nthe lead agency responsible for Code Blue, a program
\nthat assures the homeless a meal and place
\nto spend the night out of the elements when the
\ntemperature drops below 20 degrees or snow is in
\nthe forecast. The meals and beds are provided at
\nthe Salvation Army building, 27 Woodlawn Ave.,
\nSaratoga Springs.<\/p>\n

“We don’t know what is coming, but we are set
\nup and ready to go,” Finocchi said.<\/p>\n


\nSaratoga Gaming and Raceway will once again
\nstock the Code Blue pantry and a list of local
\nrestaurants and service groups have signed up to
\nprovide meals. Code Blue will again rely heavily
\non volunteers but, this year, there will also be a
\ndirector and two overnight supervisors staffing
\nthe site. Last year, Code Blue was in effect for 85
\nnights. Forty-nine of those were continuous, and
\nvolunteers began to burn out, Finocchi said.<\/p>\n

Blue lights signaling a Code Blue night are
\nplaced in the window of the Salvation Army, the
\nSaratoga shelter, and several businesses in town.
\nHomeless people are “a pretty tight-knit group,”
\nFinocchi has found, and they also spread the
\nword. “No one wants to see someone they know
\nfreezing to death.”<\/p>\n

Beginning this year, no matter what the weather,
\nthere will be a hot meal and a bed for the night
\nwaiting for anyone who needs it on Thanksgiving,
\nChristmas Eve and Christmas day. Finocchi
\nexpects to see people, including families, coming
\njust for the meal. “When it’s a choice between paying
\nthe utility bill and putting food on the table,”
\nthey may turn to the shelter, he said.<\/p>\n

Typically, after Dec. 1, 36 people spend the night
\nat the shelter and another 10 come just for a meal.
\nThe facility is staffed around the clock, all year.<\/p>\n

Finocchi said usually, shelter residents are out
\nof the building during the day, looking for work or
\nattending to other matters. Beginning this winter,
\nhowever, there will be an adult drop-in center
\nonce a week. Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., people
\ncan come in, have a shower, do their laundry, have
\nsomething to eat and, most important in Finocchi’s
\nestimation, meet with a case manager. The drop-in
\ncenter will be staffed by the outreach coordinator
\nand volunteers.<\/p>\n

Five days a week, an RV goes out from the shelter
\nto deliver “care packages” to homeless people
\nwho do not come to the shelter. The outreach
\nprogram brings food, coats and dry socks, among
\nother items, to parks and other gathering places.
\nSo far, the RV only makes its rounds during the
\nday, but it may be extended to some nights as well.<\/p>\n

Despite a staff of 22, the shelter “can always
\nuse” volunteers, the director said. They store and
\nstock donated items, deliver donations to the Code
\nBlue center and otherwise help out. Donations are
\nalso critical, both cash and such items as clothing,
\nfood, bedding, coats, socks and underwear, boots.<\/p>\n

The shelter’s annual budget of about $750,000
\ncomes almost entirely from donations. The annual
\nappeal was mailed out at the end of November. The
\nbudget is tight but “we make it work because we
\nhave to make it work,” Finocchi said. “By the time
\nCode Blue is over in the spring, we have just about
\nused up our money.”<\/p>\n

For further information or to donate or volunteer,
\ncall 581-1097.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Michael A. Finocchi of Shelters of Saratoga, stands amid shelves stocked with food. BY JILL NAGY This is the busiest time of the year for Shelters of Saratoga, as they gear up for Code Blue and initiate new programs…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":24816,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[57,100],"class_list":["post-18402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-news","tag-business-news","tag-nonprofit"],"yoast_head":"\r\nShelters Of Saratoga Gears Up Its &apos;Code Blue&apos; Program And Has New Plans In Coming Year - Saratoga Business Journal<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/12\/shelters-of-saratoga-gears-up-its-code-blue-program-and-has-new-plans-in-coming-year\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shelters Of Saratoga Gears Up Its &apos;Code Blue&apos; Program And Has New Plans In Coming Year - Saratoga Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Michael A. 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