GREENFIELD — Flooding caused at least $10,000 in damage to Greenfield’s only homeless shelter Monday.
Localized downpours Monday overtaxed storm drains near the Hope House, 35 E. Pierson St., causing rainwater to flood up to 2½ inches in parts of the shelter’s thrift store and storage area. Shelter officials closed the thrift store on Tuesday while crews worked to clean and dry the floors and walls of the facility.
At least $5,000 in merchandise was damaged or destroyed by the flooding in the 8,000-square-foot thrift shop facility, said executive director Andrea Mallory.
The loss of merchandise and having to close the thrift store’s doors while the floodwaters are dried could hurt the mission of the nonprofit organization, which has provided shelter to those facing homelessness in Hancock County for more than 25 years, Mallory said.
The thrift store supports the Hope House’s mission of helping people get back on their feet, covering some 56 percent of the shelter’s yearly budget, officials said. They also partner with 26 other area organizations to provide clothing and other needed items, including providing outfits for job interviews to individuals enrolled in the Hancock County Community Corrections program.
No major flooding occurred in the eastern part of the building, where the homeless shelter’s residential areas are, Mallory said.
A storm drain located on the west side of the building is to blame for the flooding, Mallory said; the drain pipe is half the size needed to handle flash flooding like the downpours that dumped more than 3 inches of rain in the area on Monday afternoon.
Repairs to the thrift store include replacing carpet and possibly replacing some drywall if it can’t be dried in time, Mallory said. Mold can grow within 72 hours of a flooding incident, she said.
The store will be open during its normal business hours — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. — on Wednesday, but will not accept donations, as the room where donations are stored is one of the worst-hit areas, Mallory said.
For more information, contact the Hope House Thrift Store at 317-477-0213.
