Homeless in RI: Warmth with Dignity, Street Sights February issue – Opening of pallet village

Publishing Street Sights, RI’s only monthly magazine by and for the homeless, with gratitude to Janice Luongo:

You can read the issue, page by page, HERE – or download the page at the link at the bottom of the article.

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ECHO VILLAGE opened – complete with a marching band

This week, on Tuesday, February 11th, Echo Village, the newly created group of approximately 45 pallet shelters completed all its hurdles and officials gathered to announce its opening. Complete with a marching band. The cold weather was not lost on those in attendance, a personal reminder to what it is like to live outside, in all kinds of weather.

ECHO Village features 45 one-room Pallet units, each 70 square feet; four office units; three hygiene units that include four full baths, one ADA bathroom, and one staff bathroom; one laundry unit; and one large community unit. Each unit is equipped with fire suppression systems, smoke and CO detectors, heating and cooling units, and fire-retardant paint. Fire regulations were noted by all as the main reason for the long delay from the shelters’ arrival in April of 2024.  

Governor Dan McKee led the group of organizers and speakers. The project was supported by State Fiscal Recovery Funds, a Community Development Block Grant, and funding from the City of Providence.  “ECHO Village marks the latest addition to the state’s inventory of over 1,300 shelter beds,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Our administration remains committed to address homelessness in partnership with our cities and towns, service providers, faith-based communities, and other local partners.”   

Operated by service provider House of Hope, ECHO Village is designed to support the most vulnerable unsheltered Rhode Islanders, particularly those who have been living on the streets for the longest time – 66% of these individuals will be from Providence. In advance of the site opening, House of Hope’s street outreach team began identifying potential ECHO clients, and, as early as Wednesday, will begin assisting them in moving from unsafe living situations, such as tents or vehicles, to ECHO Village. Client move-ins will be in groups of 10-15 individuals each week to ensure safety and effectiveness and allows for the pace to be adjusted as needed until ECHO Village reaches full capacity. 

In addition to having House of Hope staff deliver wraparound support services including onsite case management, housing and benefits application assistance, job training, and health-related services such as substance use recovery and mental health support, Amos House will be partnering with House of Hope to provide daily meals to those on site.  

“Rhode Island’s unhoused population has increased dramatically in the last several years, and we are in dire need of more housing for people experiencing homelessness,” said House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi. “I am very pleased to mark the opening ECHO Village, which will provide much-needed shelter, stability, and safety for its clients.”  Shekarchi mentioned Rico, the topic of a story done this week by RINewsToday, and how he died on North Main Street in Providence, frozen to death outside. 

Listen to Speaker Shekarchi’s remarks- included here at 13:53 in the full YouTube video of the speaking portion of the event:

With grateful acknowledgement to Steve Ahlquist for his work in documenting

“In Providence, we are taking a multi-pronged approach to supporting our unhoused neighbors and addressing the housing crisis. Innovative initiatives like ECHO Village play a critical role in providing safe shelter for our neighbors who need support,” said Mayor Brett P. Smiley. “I am proud to have collaborated with our State, local and community partners to open this location that will provide shelter, critical resources and stability for Providence’s unhoused population.”  

“At House of Hope, we believe housing is a basic human right – and too many Rhode Islanders have been denied this right for far too long,” said Laura Jaworski, Executive Director of House of Hope. “Despite countless challenges and obstacles along the way, we never lost sight of the most critical goal of this project – providing a safe and dignified place to sleep each night, for those we serve – and that unwavering commitment has brought ECHO Village to life. We are proud to open this new chapter, building a bridge to stability, empowerment, and hope for people as they transition from homelessness to housing.” 

Attending the ceremony was Amy King, CEO and Founder of Pallet, the nonprofit group who create and sell the housing units. “We at Pallet are so grateful to see this site finally opening and we look forward to ongoing partnership with the state to shelter its unhoused community members,” said King. “Shelter is critical for life safety: to prevent unnecessary deaths resulting from exposure to the elements, while providing stability and consistent access to essential services. Pallet has been a successful partner to more than 119 cities and 31 states across the country and we are excited to see the community here embrace this model. We look forward to working with the state to continue to streamline the process to enable and deliver more shelter with the urgency and scale this crisis deserves.” 

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To download or read as a PDF: FEBRUARY STREET SIGHTS: