With the Harbor Homes overnight winter shelter set to open for the season this weekend, the Island homelessness nonprofit announced today the arrival of a new shelter director.
Mary Alley will serve as the new head of the shelter, opening on Nov. 1 to assist Islanders experiencing homelessness through the cold winter months. Ms. Alley has a background in health care administration and is a former Harbor Homes volunteer, according to a statement from the organization.
“I believe deeply in Harbor Homes’ mission and look forward to working with our team and community partners to help our clients find a path to stability,” Ms. Alley said in the statement.
Harbor Homes’ previous shelter director, Lisa Belcastro, left the organization in February. Volunteers Pat and Polly Toomey, who own Among the Flowers Cafe in Edgartown, took over for Ms. Belcastro for the remainder of last season.
This year’s winter shelter will operate daily at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. through April 18, 2027. In addition to a place to sleep, the shelter will provide access to hot meals, laundry, showers and social services.
Harbor Homes said this is the last winter it expects to hold the overnight shelter in a temporary location. The organization purchased a building on 515 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road in Tisbury for a permanent overnight winter shelter in March, expected to open in fall 2027.
The nonprofit said it’s looking to add volunteers and staff to help run the shelter, which served 58 individuals last winter.
“As the winter season approaches, Harbor Homes remains grateful to the congregations, volunteers, staff, and community members whose generosity makes this essential service possible,” the statement reads.