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Strict Quarantine Measures Allow Lansing Shelter To Accept New Clients

Sheeba Shafaq at the COVID-19 testing site in Sacramento, Calif., where the Afghan doctor was named a supervisor.
Jade Sacker for NPR
Sheeba Shafaq at the COVID-19 testing site in Sacramento, Calif., where the Afghan doctor was named a supervisor.

A Lansing homeless service provider is once again accepting new clients after experiencing a recent COVID-19 outbreak.

City Rescue Mission of Lansing operates two shelters in the city. In mid-October, the agency stopped taking in new clients after it identified seven cases of COVID-19 at its site on south Cedar Street. The shelter imposed a strict quarantine, and now executive director Mark Criss says its intake numbers are back up.

“Our numbers went from a handful to dozens and then eventually back down to just a handful. So, we’re pleased that it didn’t continue to exponentially grow.”

City Rescue Mission of Lansing serves clients in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. Criss says they help more than 200 people each night.

That includes a small percentage of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness who are dealing with mental illness and substance abuse.

Kevin Lavery has been news director at WKAR since September 2006.