GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)- A unique service for people going through difficult times in the Green Bay area needs community support to continue.
Five years ago, a local organization called ‘Wise Women Gathering Place’ first opened up a parking lot on Green Bay’s west side for those in need to have a safe place to stay the night in their vehicles. It’s called the ‘Safe Place Parking’ program.
“It creates a sense of space, where they belong, have a sense of safety, have some peace of mind where they can sleep and not worry about being shooed off of residential streets or local businesses,” said ‘Wise Women Gathering Place’ executive director Beverly Scow.
The parking lot costs about $12,000 per year to operate. Those costs include insurance, staffing, and some of the services they provide at the parking lot, like electricity and WiFi.
Right now, Scow said that they have money to operate the parking lot through the end of this month. They are currently fundraising with a goal to raise $50,000 so that they can cover costs for the rest of the year.
“It’s a great program that is really meeting a need and making a difference in people’s lives where they can feel safe,” said Scow.
Organization officials tell us that they usually have between 30 to 45 vehicles in the parking lot each night during the warmer months. They get more guests this time of year because some of the local shelters close for the season.
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Local 5 News spoke with a woman who utilizes the parking lot, who said the service has been a lifeline for her and her kids.
“The most important thing is that this place provides a safe place for people to be who are in bad situations at the time like me,” she told Local 5 News. “I don’t know what I would have done without this place, it literally saved me and my children from having nowhere to go.”
For more information about the ‘Safe Place Parking’ program, please click here.
