Daytona Beach, FL - Construction on the long-awaited Safe Zone at First Step Shelter is underway and should be complete within a couple of months. So says Executive Director Victoria Fahlberg.
The Safe Zone is a promise made to cities in Volusia County in order for them to be involved in First Step Shelter. After months of discussion, it took a major donation from the newest board member, Roseann Tornatore, to move the project forward.
First Step Shelter Board members signed a construction contract on April 23 with Paul Culver Construction to put the Safe Zone together. However, the policy has not been set as pertains to the Safe Zone except for one issue. Fahlberg said that's how people arrive at the Safe Zone. "We know that the Safe Zone, will be, to get in, people will be brought by law enforcement." Policy about how the Safe Zone will be run has to follow Catholic Charity Guidelines.
In other First Step Shelter news, recent residents admitted have come through area hospitals after being tested for COVID-19. Fahlberg says, "They (the hospital) can do testing so that when we get new people in we know that they've been tested and they're negative for coronavirus. Or people who have been quarantined for 14 days. So, we'll continue to take people like that."
As to the question of what now as the state of Florida reopens from COVID-19, Fahlberg said she'll be talking with Catholic Charities today about future intake strategies. "We're not going to just be saying 'OK, everything is fine now.' We're going to continue to accept any intake where they've been tested and it's reliable that they do not have the virus."
