“It's getting worse all the time,” said Wayne Wisecarver, who lives right next to Father Joe’s Paul Mirabile Center.
East Village residents see the human toll first hand.
“There was meth, there was heroin, there was crack and now there’s fentanyl,” said Wisecarver.
Wayne Wisecarver says everyday he watches the need for help grow for people struggling with substance use.
“Somebody’s gotta do it,” said Wisecarver.
“With God's help, we're gonna get it done,” said Deacon Jim Vargas, the President and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages.
Vargas says the organization is planning to change this East Village building from a homeless shelter to a detox and sober living facility.
The new facility will have 45 beds for detoxing and a whole floor for sober living.
“So those who will be in those beds, they'll be recovering, but also they'll have access to our employment center,” said Vargas.
The transition will mean Father Joe’s is moving away from city funding and will use private donors partially because of the new sober living requirements.
The entire project will cost $1.5 million.
The PMC will begin denying new clients starting July 1.
While not everyone can see the vision:
“And so what do you think this will do for the substance abuse problem right here in the East Village?” I ask.
“Ultimately nothing,” said Wisecarver.
Father Joe's believes this will address a main need to help keep people off the streets.
“I mean, these are more effectively using these beds so that we can truly make a difference in the lives of these individuals. I mean, there can't be a one size fits all just like when with any human being,” said Vargas.
