Community members in Manchester will gather Tuesday night to discuss the future of the building that houses a soon-to-be-shuttered emergency homeless shelter on Main Street.
Officials with the Manchester Area of Conference of Churches, which manages the overnight shelter, said it plans to close its doors Wednesday, as scheduled. The move comes in objection to a state law requiring the shelter to admit drug and alcohol users.
"This mandate is not in line with MACC Charities' mission to help the residents of Manchester and Bolton who are serious about accepting help to get back on their feet. MACC is not a drug and alcohol or mental health institution," Beth Stafford, executive director and CEO of the Manchester Area of Conference of Churches, said in a statement in April.
A public discussion set for 7 p.m. Tuesday will focus on the future of the facility, which is located at 466 Main Street and will continue to provide community services, according to the MACC.
The Journal Inquirer reports nothing is certain, but "so far the spotlight is on literacy and job-seeking help."
The meeting will take place at St. Bartholomew Church at 45 Ludlow Road.
