Page 3 - First Step Inn News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

A bitter blast of Arctic weather is headed our way, and the city’s shelters are trying to make sure no homeless people are left out in the cold.

As SouthCoast communities scramble to prepare for near-hurricane Henri's arrival this weekend, the city of Fall River is reminding residents about hurricane safety.

FALL RIVER — It’s hard enough for kids in the time of COVID-19 not to get caught up in the thoughts of what they are missing in their final years of high school, but a group of Durfee high friends decided that they’d take on a positive project, collecting and distributing items to help the homeless.  And last week, after months of collecting clothes, food, blankets toiletries, and anything else they could get their hands on, the four friends drove a U-Haul full of donations to the First Step Inn homeless shelter.  Meet Summa Slater, Annika Lewis, Trinity Rodriguez and Dakota P...

FALL RIVER — With the help of federal COVID-19 funding, the city is taking a new approach to combat homelessness: reaching out to the homeless and bringing them to the services they need.  “In years past, we had all these homeless people and we didn’t know how to get right to them. We waited until after they asked for help. Now, we go to them and tell them we are here for you if you need us,” said Niki Fontaine, who along with her partner, Marc Pires, are the two new full-time homeless outreach workers hired by the city’s Community Development Agency. 

TIVERTON — Rev. William Sterrett is ending his career with a Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. The pastor of Amicable Congregational Church for more than three decades spent Saturday night sleeping in a cardboard box on the lawn of the church, within a few feet of a burn barrel and wooden figurines that were carved on the lawn more than 20 years ago that represent the homeless. Saturday was the 21st year of the sleepout to raise awareness for homelessness, but this time Sterrett, who will retire at the end of February at the age of 68, did it alone instead of with the church’s youth group b...