Find Shelter at Good Samaritan Haven

We currently operate facilities in Berlin, Barre, and Barre Town.

If you need shelter:

If you are seeking shelter at any of Good Samaritan Haven’s locations, you must call between 7:00AM and 3:00PM, Monday through Friday. Good Sam shelter staff will no longer perform intakes with individuals seeking shelter beds outside of the stated hours of admission.

Call Good Sam’s main number (802)479-2294 and speak with our Good Sam Intake Coordinator.

During the call the Intake Coordinator will review your eligibility criteria to determine whether you are a candidate for the shelter. If you meet Good Sam’s established eligibility criteria, and if a bed is available, you will meet with the Intake Coordinator in person between the hours of 7:00AM – 3:00PM to do intake paperwork and orient to the space and settle into the shelter. If for some reason the Intake Coordinator is unavailable, a Shelter Manager may perform the eligibility review and intake processes during the above stated hours.

If individuals are in need of camping equipment, please call the Good Sam Street Outreach Team at 815-714-8686.

Eligibility:

Good Samaritan Haven welcomes those in need of emergency housing. We will do our best to share housing, food, and housing assistance resources to help guests and treat them with decency and respect. Guests of Good Samaritan Haven must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  1. Must be homeless* and in need of emergency housing
  2. Must be an adult (age 18 or over). Minors are not eligible. 
  3. Must be ambulatory (capable of basic self-care like bathing, dressing, and feeding oneself)  
  4. Must be in good standing with Good Samaritan Haven and law enforcement (without warrant or house arrest)
  5. Must not be unduly under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol at the time of admission as determined by Good Samaritan Haven 
  6. Individuals who are listed on the Vermont Sex Offenders Registry are ineligible for housing at Seminary Street and South Barre Road locations

Individuals seeking a bed are required to meet with Good Samaritan Haven staff as soon as possible to determine their eligibility through completion of GSH’s Intake Assessment Procedure. If a person does not meet the criteria above, Good Samaritan Haven staff may offer a referral to Economic Services (7:45 AM-4:30 PM) or 2-1-1 (after 4:30 PM) for help.

*Homeless as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  See the definition at the following website:  homeless definition

Our Shelter Network

The Welcome Center

The Good Sam Welcome Center is our newest location at 1571 US Route 302 in Berlin, opened in July 2022. Our new emergency shelter provides 18 trauma-informed rooms with 35 beds and a welcome center for rest, essentials, and helpful service connections. Guests are at an advantageous location near a bus stop on a main corridor between the county’s two population centers (near grocery stores, a health clinic, the hospital, and many other businesses).

Downstreet Housing partnered with Good Samaritan Haven in the development of the project. Washington County Mental Health Services, Capstone Community Action, Family Center, and Turning Point Center of Central Vermont are service partners. Thanks to significant funding from Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and generous donors, Good Samaritan Haven was able to purchase the property.

Seminary St. House

Our original shelter facility is located at 105 N. Seminary Street in Barre. It offers accommodation for up to 20 individuals in dormitory-style room, each with 3-5 beds. The facility is equipped with on-site bath, shower, and laundry facilities.

Guests at the Seminary Street House share common spaces, including a living/dining area and a kitchen. Each person is provided a limited storage area to keep personal belongings secure. We provide an evening meal daily.

Our shelter operates throughout the year, every night from 6:30 PM until 7:00 AM. In cases of extremely cold weather, we may extend the shelter’s opening hours to ensure the safety and comfort of those seeking refuge.




South Barre

In 2021 we opened a 15-bed residence at 580 South Barre Road in Barre Town.

The house has eight double occupancy rooms. Bath, shower, and laundry facilities are on site. Guests share a spacious living room, dining room, and kitchen and have some personal storage space. Guests must provide their own meals. Limited regular transportation to downtown Barre is provided daily.

Good Sam is leasing the property from our partner, Downstreet Housing & Community Development, whose mission is to strengthen the communities of central Vermont by engaging with people, providing affordable homes, and connecting people to the resources and services they need to thrive. We are also very glad to have the support of the Barre Town selectboard.


Motel Support Services

Hilltop Inn, Berlin

Good Sam staff now helps guests at the Hilltop Inn with their support service needs–especially seeking housing outside of the motel. There is great urgency to house these individuals as State assistance is expected to phase out early next spring. 

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