As snow piled up across Boston, staff from New England’s largest homeless services provider fanned out across the city in vans and on foot.
Inside Pine Street Inn’s four shelters, every bit of space was in use, said Inn spokesperson Barbara Trevisan. The organization has 585 beds across its shelters, and more than 650 people crowded the buildings Sunday into Monday — some lying on side-by-side mats filling lobbies, separated by mere inches.
“It’s not necessarily pretty,” Trevisan said. “But we make sure everybody does have a safe place to stay.”
As the storm intensified, outreach teams were on the streets, carrying blankets, gloves, coats, socks and drinks like hot chocolate in their vans.
If someone refuses shelter, workers cannot force them to go inside, Trevisan said. Instead, they offer what they can: a ride, dry clothes, a warm drink, even a chance to sit in a heated van for half an hour.
