IRON MOUNTAIN – Despite the colder climate of the Upper Peninsula, a surprising number of homeless people remain in the Iron Mountain area even through the worst months of winter.

Soon there will be an area haven for those who have nowhere else to turn.

Bonnie Pelto, chairwoman of the Dickinson-Iron County Local Planning Group and chairwoman of Region I Continuum of Care – two separate entities that work with the homeless – made a plea recently with the Iron Mountain Area Clergy Association for help with this desperate situation.

“I asked them to consider creating a revolving shelter for the homeless here, using their churches as hosts for overnight guests,” Pelto said. “They took it seriously – the need is greater than many realize.”

According to the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, the region had 433 people homeless in 2015, the last year of statistics available – 427 in Dickinson County and six in Iron County.

Of those, 246 had no residence to go on any given night. Ten were chronically homeless, meaning they were homeless more than once during the year. The tally also included 142 children, ranging from 5.18 to 9.55 years in age.

Those grim statistics prompted the group to create the Light at the Inn, a night shelter operated by a coalition of local churches and community organizations that will revolve among various sites.

The Light at the Inn will welcome its first guests in November.

“I have a heart for the marginalized and for me, this is exciting that churches are coming together to be the heart and hands of Jesus to folks in this community,” said the Rev. Irene White, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church of Norway and administrative committee members for the Light at the Inn. “When I learned there are folks living under bridges or in cardboard shacks in the woods in the winter, it troubled me.”

Pelto, who has managed public housing for 38 years, was very familiar with how this revolving shelter program operates, as she was the Marquette housing director when the Room at the Inn started there 10 years ago.

IMACA members had talked about such a program for years but never set it in motion.

“I believe prior to me coming to them with the numbers, they didn’t know there was a real problem,” Pelto said. “It’s not like San Francisco or Florida, where you see them everywhere in public. Because of our climate, you rarely see the local homeless.”

In August, 23 households with 39 adults and 35 children required assistance from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Yet only a little more than $498,000 a year is available over the entire Upper Peninsula, Pelto said.

“With the help of the churches, these funds will be able to go farther in our assistance,” Pelto said.

Hosting churches will take turns in a Sunday-to-Sunday rotation by opening their doors to the homeless, offering them meals and a warm, safe place to sleep during the winter months.

Those host churches include: Evangelical Covenant Church of Norway, represented by Yvonne Clark; First Covenant Church of Iron Mountain, represented by Tony Tomczak; Our Savior’s Lutheran of Iron Mountain, represented by Jim Meier; Redemption Hill/Riverside United Methodist Church of Niagara, represented by Toni Garvaglia; St. Barbara Catholic Church of Norway, represented by Lisa Pellegrini; and Trinity United Methodist Church of Iron Mountain, represented by Cindi Strehlow and Kristy Ryan.

Grace United Methodist, along with Bethany Lutheran of Norway and First United Methodist, are considering joining the effort as well.

To be a host church, they must have two coordinators and space for separate sleeping areas for men and women, separate restrooms and areas for intake and dining.

Host churches also need to be accessible to the handicapped, as 85 homeless members had a disabling condition.

Sites unsuitable as host church can be a support church, providing volunteers, supplies such as blankets, towels, pillows, etc., or meals, like a sandwich to take when leaving in the mornings for lunch, Pelto said.

Global Presence Ministries, Community Bible Church, Norway Covenant, Bethany Lutheran of Norway, Zion Lutheran in Felch, Quinnesec United Methodist Church, First United Methodist Church of Iron Mountain, Maranatha Assembly of God of Kingsford and Calvary Lutheran Church of Quinnesec are considering being support churches.

Pelto said guests will have to check into the hosting church between 6 and 9 p.m. and be off the premises by 8 a.m.

“All guests must read and sign a contract,” Pelto said. “They will be administered a breathalyzer, go through a metal detector search as well as a search of their belongings to make sure they have no alcohol or non-prescription drugs.”

The group also will work closely with the police to check for active warrants and if the person might be on the sex offender registry.

The administrative committee for Light at the Inn includes the Rev. Geri Hamlen as chairwoman, Cindi Strehlow as vice chairwoman, Yvonne Clark as secretary and Pam Smart as treasurer. Other resource people are Scott Ritsema as security liaison, Erv Sparapani, Jay Goudreau and the Rev. Irene White. They will be responsible for fundraising, marketing, and community involvement.

Dickinson County Community Foundation is serving as the fiduciary as Light at the Inn continues to work on its 501(c)(3) designation.

The largest anticipated expense is the transportation. A van has been donated for this purpose, Pelto said.

The Dickinson County Community Foundation also provided a $10,000 grant toward the $25,000 start-up budget for the program.

In-house training has begun for volunteers.

“They have also visited the homeless shelters in Marquette and Escanaba and had that experience first hand so they know what to expect,” Pelto said.

Volunteers will be needed to help with meals, registration, screening of guests, setting up and taking down cots, and transporting materials and equipment from one host church to the next.

The committee is also in the process of spreading the word about the rotating shelter. A Community Connect event is set for Nov. 11 at the YMCA in Iron Mountain and at the Windsor Center in Iron River.

The cause hits very close to home, Pelto added.

“My daughter was homeless at one time, but she turned her life around,” Pelto said, “and so can any of the individuals that will need to use the shelter. Hopefully they will start engaging with the volunteers and help them make better decisions.”

Financial donations are welcome. Contact the Light at the Inn at 906-282-5850 or email lightattheinn@gmail.com.

Terri Castelaz’s email is tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com