Adelaide’s Place helps homeless and disenfranchised women throughout the Atlantic City area by providing them with a secure and welcoming environment when they have nowhere to go during the day. The drop-in center provides women with access to social workers, linkages to health care, support to find temporary or permanent housing, but moreover, is a refuge for women and a hub of the community. Women may retreat to Adelaide’s Place for a nutritious snack, to engage in arts and crafts, wash their clothes, read a book or watch a movie, make phone calls, or just relax with others in similar situations.
For the 12 Days of Giving, Borgata volunteers crocheted 60 scarves for women in need, as well as donated 60 toiletry kits including items like soap, shaving cream, toothbrush/paste, makeup, nail clippers and polish, tissues, deodorant, shampoo, and hand sanitizer, among other essentials. We discussed the fantastic work that the organization is doing in the Atlantic City region with Sister Patty Prendergast.
Give us a broad overview of what your organization does and how it helps the public? Adelaide’s Place is a drop-in center for homeless and at risk women who have no children in their custody. We provide a safe and secure environment for the women. We provide coffee and snacks and other treats. They are able to do laundry, arts and crafts activities, or use the phone. We link them to social service providers for medical and mental health services as well as to housing providers. They are provided with clothing, socks, toiletries, and other items which they request. We help the public by giving this very vulnerable population a place to go and be linked to services they need.
How has the current Covid health crisis impacted those that rely on your organization for support? Like everyone else, Covid-19 has affected the way in which we do business. We are a small building and social distancing is not possible, so unfortunately, we are not able to permit the women inside. We provide what they need through the window in our deck. If they need laundry done, they give it to us and we do their laundry and have it for them the next day. If they need to use the phone, we hand the portable phone out the window to them. We have been providing masks for those who don’t have any or to replace old ones. We continue to provide coffee and snacks and other treats. The two of us on staff do the best we can to help keep the ladies thinking positive by sharing a positive thought each day with them.
How will Borgata’s current holiday gift help you serve your constituents? Borgata’s holiday gift will help us to continue serving the women who come to us and provide them with the items they need on a daily and continual basis.
For those who are reading about your organization and want to help, what can they do or donate? What would be the most useful ways to contribute? We have a Facebook page and monetary contributions can be made through PayPal, Venmo, and credit cards. Other items can be donated by calling us at 609-340-8816.
What is your favorite holiday tradition? Our favorite holiday tradition is the Elf on the Shelf. The ladies each would get a turn to move the Elf each day before we closed. However, due to Covid-19, the Elf is stationary and inside the window ledge looking out at the ladies, but the Elf is still watching!
For more information about Adelaide’s Place, or to learn how to get involved, please visit www.adelaidesplace.org.