Building a community where everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.
MCCH Shelter Health Initiatives Combat Coronavirus
A Chat with Dr. Kathryn Kelly, Shelter Physician
Having a safe and stable home is a crucial part of living a healthy life. Dr. Kelly, who provides onsite medical care for the men at our shelter, has firsthand knowledge of how homelessness can affect someone's health. We sat down with Dr. Kelly to chat about how quality and trusted healthcare providers can transform someone experiencing homelessness.

What's your role at MCCH's men's emergency shelter? I provide medical services to the homeless patients at MCCH's men's shelter. Right now much of our focus is on COVID-19 and advising shelter staff on how we approach patients who may be COVID-19 positive.

How is working with people experiencing homelessness different than providing care for housed individuals? We try to provide quality care with for all of our patients, including the homeless population. The homeless population is vulnerable in different ways but especially in terms of access, including access to healthy foods, medications, exerciseall the things that contribute to healthy living. My priority is to make them feel welcome and comfortable so that we can work together to improve their health, both in the short and long term.

What's the most rewarding part of providing care to people experiencing homelessness?
For many of the shelter patients, they haven't been treated with respect by previous doctors and this keeps them from seeking medical care. I like knowing that I can provide a space where they are treated equally and feel heard. We can't provide all the care they need but we give them resources and access to other services. I feel like we're taking care of the community and that's important to me.

Do you have any predictions for the future in terms of COVID-19? I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better. My hope is that we see a decrease in the deaths from the virus. We can’t become numb to it because we need to sustain the urgency of fixing the issue. It’s not a political issue, it’s a life or death issue. We must commit to providing the resources to support people experiencing homelessness as we continue to face the challenges of COVID-19.

Thanks to Dr. Kelly for all that she does for the men at our shelter. We also want to share that MCCH and Coalition Homes are partnering with the Latino Health Initiative, the City of Takoma Park, and Crossroads Farmers Market to bring COVID-19 testing to many of our clients.  As part of the Montgomery Housing Alliance, MCCH and Coalition Homes have reached out to representatives of the African-American Health Program and Latino Health Initiative to connect these testing opportunities with other affordable housing providers. The African American Health Program currently provides both rapid HIV testing and condoms to the men’s emergency shelter.
Donors Making a Difference
A huge thanks to Bruce and Janna Ecklund who generously gifted $5,000 towards our new BRIGHT youth initiative. You'll hear more about this initiative later this year!

Thanks to United Methodist Church, an ongoing supporter of MCCH, for taking our 30X30 Move-In Kit Challenge and donating 3 complete Move In Kits! Their efforts will directly help people ending their homelessness by giving them all the household items they need to thrive in their new homes.

Our meal donation program at the men’s shelter continues to be successful thanks to our long-time and new meal donors. Special thanks to Highlight Church, Lavanya Reddy, and SEVA led by Rekha Uppal for their commitment to feeding those in need!
MCCH Facebook Group Provides Direct Support to People in Need!
Have you joined our Urgent Needs Task Force Facebook group yet? This group connects caring community members with MCCH clients who are in need of items to end their homelessness or thrive after ending their homelessness.

Even through the pandemic, these dedicated supporters have continued to provide urgently needed items to our clients! In the past month, the group donated shoes for veterans and beds and mattresses for the children we serve.

Although it may seem like a small gesture, donating these items shows our clients that their community cares about them. When recovering from the trauma of homelessness, that reminder can be a glimmer of light in the darkness.

You can directly support our clients by joining our Facebook group today and bringing hope to the people we serve all year long!
Thank you for your commitment to ensuring that all Montgomery County residents have a safe, stable and affordable place to call home!

Sincerely,



Susie Sinclair-Smith
Chief Executive Officer
405 East Gude Drive Suite 209
 Rockville MD, 20850