OpenDoors Announces Closure of Innovative Woonsocket Shelter In A Related Note: Governor Dan McKee Announces Additional Grant Money for Shelter Beds … Huh?

 

 

“One of my top priorities as Governor has been to ensure that Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness have access to safe, stable emergency shelter all year round, especially during the winter months,” said Governor Dan McKee.

 

Full Disclosure: Libertarian Mutual Aid.org regularly supplies water, as part of The Water Project, to OpenDoors Woonsocket

 

In a stunning move, the management of OpenDoors has announced the closure of its successful shelter operation, effective September 30, 2026. CoalitionNews has obtained from a source, the internal memo issued earlier today. (See Below) Budget issues, the usual suspect, appears to be the issue.

OpenDoors  Woonsocket, since its opening, has provided 50 Shelter Beds, in addition to a variety of “wrap around” services to members of the homeless community, in a “Safe, Warm, Dry Environment. The impact to Woonsocket has been profound, as will its departure, … taking 50 residents off the streets immediately. As of this afternoon, there is no immediate solution/direction for the impacted tenants.

We will be reaching out to area leaders for further details. A renewal of the shelter’s lease is on the docket for the Woonsocket City Council Meeting scheduled for next Monday evening.

 

DATE     August 14, 2026

TO        All OpenDoors staff at the Woonsocket shelter, 181 Cumberland Street

RE        Closure of the Woonsocket shelter on September 30

We need to inform all OpenDoors staff working at the Woonsocket shelter that the last day of shelter operations will be September 30. This is a very sad outcome and OpenDoors deeply regrets that it is happening.

Your work here over the past year has been extraordinarily meaningful. You have helped so many people through the hardest moments of their lives. Thank you for your commitment, your responsibility, and your compassion for the members of the Woonsocket community you have supported. For many of them, your support was lifesaving. We know the job has been difficult at moments, and we are grateful for your dedication to making this shelter work.

The closure is in no way a result of any problem with how this shelter has operated. OpenDoors has received very positive feedback from the City of Woonsocket about the program and about your work. Thank you for helping to make that possible.

As you have all seen, the budget of this shelter is very tight. In the first year, we were given extra funds to invest in the building and to get the project off the ground. We were very hopeful that, given the positive impact of the program and the investment made in this building, the shelter would become a long-term, sustainable program.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, OpenDoors cannot afford to agree to the lease extension the City of Woonsocket has offered. We can afford to pay for all the operating expenses of this shelter. We cannot afford what is being asked to rent the facility. Under the lease as proposed, we would lose around $75,000 a year. For a nonprofit our size, carrying that loss would put the entire agency at risk, and every other OpenDoors program with it.

 

The next steps include:

• Nothing changes today. The shelter operates normally through September 30, and we need it staffed and running well for the residents right up to the last day.
• Your pay and benefits continue through your last day of work. Accrued and unused paid time off will be paid out in accordance with OpenDoors policy and Rhode Island law.
• Our employment program will be available to every one of you: resume help, job search, interview preparation, and connections to employers we work with. This is what we do for the people we serve, and we will do it for our own staff.
• Every one of you will receive a reference from OpenDoors. 
• We will hold an all-staff meeting at the shelter and cover unemployment insurance filing, final pay dates, benefits end dates, and your questions. 

 

Residents are receiving a written notice today as well, so they have as much time as possible. They will have questions and you will be the ones they ask. You do not need to have all the answers. What is true and what you can say is this: the shelter will close on September 30, OpenDoors is working now to help every person find another place, and nobody will be asked to leave before then. Please send anything you cannot answer to your supervisor or to me. If a member of the press contacts you, you are free to decline and refer them to me.

We are deeply sorry to have to provide this news to you all. If you want to talk directly about your situation, your job, or anything else, please reach out at any point.

 

Dina Bruce

Deputy Director

 

In related news, Governor Dan McKee … just weeks before a hotly contested primary, announced the availability of grants for … you guessed it … shelter beds. The question begs … Does Governor McKee speak to his staff?

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING OPENS 2026–2027 WINTER RESPONSE GRANT TO HELP STRENGTHEN RHODE ISLAND’S HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island Executive Office of Housing (EOH) today announced the opening of the 2026–2027 Winter Response Grant, a competitive funding opportunity that will support seasonal emergency shelters and innovative winter response initiatives to protect Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness during the coldest months of the year, alongside the McKee Administrations year-round homelessness response strategy.

“One of my top priorities as Governor has been to ensure that Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness have access to safe, stable emergency shelter all year round, especially during the winter months,” said Governor Dan McKee. “This grant will help communities strengthen their response while connecting more Rhode Islanders to the services and support they need.”

“Homelessness response requires an all-hands-on-deck approach,” said Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard. “We encourage organizations across Rhode Island to think creatively about how they can strengthen their community’s response this winter by meeting people where they are, reducing harm, and connecting them to ongoing supports that will keep Rhode Islanders safe.”

This funding opportunity will provide grants to municipalities, nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, public housing authorities, community action agencies, and other eligible partners to launch or expand winter response efforts.

EOH is seeking proposals in two funding categories:

Seasonal Emergency Shelters

Seasonal Emergency Shelters offer safe overnight accommodations—beds or cots—for individuals experiencing homelessness during the coldest months of the year.

Seasonal Emergency Shelters are required to remain open overnight from November 1, 2026-April 30, 2027. As part of Rhode Island’s coordinated winter response, providers are encouraged to offer supportive services such as case management, housing navigation, behavioral health care, substance use disorder services, meals, and other resources that help individuals transition to permanent housing.

Flexible Winter Response Projects

For organizations that are not able to operate a seasonal emergency shelter throughout the winter, funding is also available for Flexible Winter Response Projects, designed to help people experiencing unsheltered homelessness by providing communities with additional ways to protect vulnerable residents, reduce the risk of winter-related illness and death, and create pathways to longer-term housing stability.

Common examples include, but are not limited to, emergency shelter services; case management and/or housing stability services; transportation for individuals seeking winter response services; meal programs; outreach services; and emergency pop-up sites that operate during periods of inclement weather.

EOH encourages applicants to develop collaborative proposals that leverage partnerships, braid funding sources, and maximize available community resources to deliver the greatest impact.

Organizations currently funded through the Consolidated Homeless Fund (CHF) may apply to expand winter-specific services but are not eligible to receive duplicate funding for services already supported through existing CHF awards.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning August 14, 2026, and will remain open until available funding has been fully obligated or December 31, 2026, whichever occurs first.

For complete eligibility requirements, application materials, and instructions for applying, visit the Executive Office of Housing’s Apply for Funds & Grants webpage.