An Update on Caring for the Homeless

There are hundreds of persons who are homeless primarily in Belize City. At the start of the COVID crisis, they were transported to the MCC Grounds in Belize City to keep them safe. The MCC was retrofitted with beds and basic supplies and the new residents at the facility are being provided with meals. The Belize City Council along with several agencies including the Welcome Resource Centre, the Department of Human Services, Red Cross and others have chipped in to keep these persons off the street and safe because they would have been left exposed to the elements during the COVID-19 crisis.  Mayor Bernard Wagner told the media that it is an initiative that the Belize City Council continues to support at this time.

Bernard Wagner

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“That was a great initiative spearheaded by Councillor Hilton; she is responsible for health and that area. Around January, she got together with some other agencies, the Mental Health and some resource centres that provide bedding and food for these homeless people. They did a significant and workable plan. Red Cross and all of them got together with the National Sports Council and they identified the MCC Grounds to have those people stay overnight. They provide them meals, bedding, clothing and it works pretty well. You haven’t seen that extent of people on the streets. I want to commend the work of Councillor Hilton, I want to commend the work of all the other agencies that came together not worrying about colour, not worrying about government agency, not worrying about city council agency, but coming together to ensure that the homeless were taken care of.”