Helping people without housing involves challenges and changes beyond the approach of winter

A row of tents lines Teal Street across the road from the Glory Hall shelter on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Independent)

By Kaia Quinto

I think that it is important to point out what the Glory Hall has been accomplishing, despite the temporary changes to our services, which began at the end of August. 

Every single night, the Glory Hall provides safe shelter to 55 vulnerable adults. That is the maximum number of people that our emergency shelter can accommodate and we have been completely full since the beginning of the calendar year. As soon as a room or an overflow bunk opens, it is offered to the many people who need it. 

We are serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to 65-75 individuals per meal, every single day. Most of the meals are provided inside our soup kitchen with the rest delivered around town by our driver. We are extremely grateful to the Southeast Alaska Food Bank and the amazing dinner volunteer groups, without whom the meal program would not be possible. 

A total of 94 out of the 99 apartments we operate at Forget-Me-Not-Manor and in the old shelter building downtown are occupied, and we are waiting for paperwork to be completed for folks who are moving into five remaining empty units. The shutdown has made the move-in process slower than normal, but we are working through it and are extremely grateful to be able to provide housing in our community.

Through our PATH and Navigator programs, we have connected with every camper on Teal Street and in other areas, offering services and housing to the majority of the folks. 

As the snow creeps down the mountains and temperatures drop, it is critical to view homelessness, suffering, and exposure to elements as unacceptable. 

We will continue to carry out our mission to end homelessness and achieve equity, health, and dignity through housing, connection to services, and community. 

We want people to heal and get the help that they need, and we are so grateful to our community for supporting us, our mission, and our vision.

Thank you so much Juneau for working with us through heartbreak and challenges every day. It is very difficult to operate in the middle of the meth/opioid derivative epidemic and we are trying to do the best that we can. 

• Kaia Quinto is the executive director of the Juneau Housing First Collaborative, which operates the Glory Hall.