Updated Oct. 26 at 3:33 pm.
The only nonprofit and shelter that assists unhoused people on the Island is entering the fall season with a new shelter director and a plan as homelessness on Martha’s Vineyard continues to rise.
Harbor Homes has several changes underway as the annual winter shelter gets set to open on Nov. 1. The winter shelter will be located at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown this year as the new permanent building the organization secured in Vineyard Haven is renovated; the process to find a permanent place took several years and received pushback from potential neighbors. But the season before their next chapter begins, Harbor Homes is returning to its roots: St. Andrew’s in Edgartown, where the winter shelter began in 2016.
After years at churches during the colder months, Harbor Homes’ winter shelter nailed down a more stable spot at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Services campus in 2022. But due to the construction planned for the area, the shelter had to relocate after the 2024-2025 winter season. Last year, the winter shelter was temporarily located at the Harbor Homes women’s congregate housing at 111 New York Ave. through a zoning allowance from the town.
“We are grateful to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for once again opening its doors to our winter shelter guests,” Jeannette de Jesús, executive director of Harbor Homes, stated in a press release Monday. “This partnership reflects the generosity and commitment of our Island community to ensuring that our neighbors experiencing homelessness have a safe place to stay and access to essential services during the coldest months of the year.”
The new permanent shelter, located at 515 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, is slated to be completed by Oct. 1 of next year but could be done even sooner, de Jesús said. As construction continues, and the shelter opens in a temporary location for what could be the last time in the nonprofit’s history, Harbor Homes administrators said they’re excited for the future.
“We’re really thrilled that we’re going to have a permanent shelter,” de Jesús told The Times on a phone call on Monday.
According to the release, the winter shelter served 58 individuals last season, and the number of people in need of an overnight stay is projected to increase this year. Harbor Homes also announced the appointment of Mary Alley as the new shelter director in Monday’s press release. Lisa Belcastro was the previous winter shelter director, a position she was appointed to in 2020 and held until February, when she resigned. After Belcastro left Harbor Homes, volunteers Pat and Polly Toomey were appointed as temporary co-directors.
Alley joined Harbor Homes in May according to the release, and worked with shelter leadership, staff, and volunteers on summer programs and plans for the winter shelter. Her work as the director of the winter shelter will include daily operations and oversight of the volunteers and shelter.
“Having grown up on the Island, taking care of my neighbors has always been important to me,” Alley said in the release. “A few years ago, I learned about the important work Harbor Homes does, which inspired me to volunteer and begin my journey with the organization. I believe deeply in Harbor Homes’ mission and look forward to working with our team and community partners to help our clients find a path to stability.”
The overnight winter shelter at St. Andrews Church will be open for seven nights a week through April 18, 2027. The shelter is open from 6 pm each night until 8 am the following morning. Guests receive an evening meal, breakfast, and have access to showers and laundry. Harbor Homes also provides access to social services and health resources, according to the release.
Editor’s note: Updated to include more information about previous winter shelter directors.
