Gathering Place began offering safe, dry shelter to men in the autumn of 2011. It is now housed on the second floor of our office building on Bourbon Street. Access to the living quarters is by means of exterior stairs in the rear of the building. We are currently limited to 10 men in this space.
We are in the process of renovating the building to the rear of the Emmaus Kitchen so that we may help more men. Once completed by November 2023, the number of men we can shelter will increase to 16. And the new space will be located at ground level so no more stairs. This will enable us to better help those with mobility problems.
Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate men with children at this time. However, we hope to meet this growing need by using the old men's shelter space once the renovation of the new space is completed.
All residents must first complete a screening with one of our staff and take a drug test. A “failed” drug test does not preclude residency but all residents must agree to be drug & alcohol free during their residency at Gathering Place. Residents are also subject to random drug tests while living here. Our rules are reviewed during the initial screening and all residents agree that violation of the rules are grounds for dismissal.