BRATTLEBORO — Groundworks Collaborative, a local agency for people who are hungry or without housing, is set to receive help from other providers this month as it regroups after last week’s killing of a shelter coordinator.
“It is clear that our entire staff needs a pause in order to come together to grieve, work together toward healing and figure out our way forward,” executive director Josh Davis said in a written statement.
Groundworks runs the 30-bed Morningside House shelter on Royal Road, where social worker Leah Rosin-Pritchard was murdered — allegedly by a resident — April 3.
The nonprofit also operates a daytime drop-in center and 34-bed overnight shelter on South Main Street and the region’s most-used food shelf, located on Canal Street.
Until May 2, shelter residents are expected to move to the state’s hotel-housing program through funding from the Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity and with management support from the local organization Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, Groundworks said in its statement.
The food shelf is scheduled to remain open with help from volunteers.
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital plans to coordinate medical issues as a part of Groundworks’ Healthworks partnership with the Brattleboro Retreat and Health Care and Rehabilitation Services.
And Brooks Memorial Library is receiving and distributing client mail.
Groundworks relocated Morningside House residents immediately after the killing but continued to operate its other programs, even as media coverage heightened when Zaaina Asra Zakirrah Mahvish-Jammeh pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge last Tuesday and was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.
“While we’ve met every day,” said Jessica Guardado, director of supportive services, “we’ve only been able to plan for the next 48 hours or so.”
During its break, Groundworks plans to take time to coordinate a reopening while caring for Rosin-Pritchard’s family and friends.
“Now that we’ve secured support to continue services throughout the pause,” Guardado said, “we can begin to plan for our group process in healing.”
