The Catholic-run Angel’s Watch in Hughesville can on an average provide 43 bed-nights each night, but at times when the demand is very high the bed-nights can jump to 52, a D.C.-based official of the charity told The Bay Net. The shelter plans to move to a new premises somewhere in Charles County
“A bed-night is one person per bed per night,” said Denise Capaci, regional director of Catholic Charities Southern Maryland. She said Angel’s Watch averaged 43 bed-nights per night, though they liked to keep their numbers at 41. “During cold weather like hypothermia we can go up to 52. Sometimes it’s a domestic violence call or something on those lines,” she said.
On Tuesday, the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioner heard from emergency shelter providers that Angel’s Watch had provided 9,000 “bed-nights” last year.
“Are you planning to move?” Dan Raley asked, to which an Angel’s Watch representative responded, “That’s on the table.”
Presently the shelter is housed in a 1950s building which once used to house the SMECO (Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative offices). Capaci said the charity is hoping to move from its Hughesville premises to a new one although it has not found any location.
“The probability is that it would be in Charles County, although nothing has been set. No facility has not been bought; no land has not been bought.”
In 2005, Home Builders Care Foundation undertook an extensive repair of the building with direct contributions from Cherrywood Development, Fireside Hearth & Home, Weyerhaeuser Foundation and Conley family. Greg Lauer of Craftstar Homes led the project with co-captain assistance from Tom McDowell of Colombo Bank.
Angel’s Watch is the only transitional shelter in the tri-county area for women and their families, many of who suffer domestic violence. Vacancies are rare and anyone wishing to get into the shelter typically has a 15-30 day wait.