Calling all COTS
Shelter committee looks for donations

Jeff McLaughlin | staff writer

The Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) is conducting its annual phone-a-thon this week in an attempt to raise money for shelter for homeless families.

The annual phone-a-thon

For the past 15 years, the phone-a-thon commenced on the Monday following Thanksgiving. This year, more than 200 volunteers from the Burlington area will be working to complete approximately 10,000 phone calls for donations, says Deb Bouton, community services coordinator at COTS.

“Our goal this year is to raise $180,000,” Bouton says. “It’s our biggest single fund-raiser.”

Volunteers from local banks hit the phone lines at the COTS headquarters on Tuesday, Dec. 4. Larry Frisoli, photo

COTS is careful to make sure that they only contact previous donors to the organization. They do not want to become a burden to those unfamiliar with the fund-raiser. The money earned from the donations will be put toward COTS’ ongoing effort to find a permanent solution for homelessness, Bouton says.

Each night of the phone-a-thon, a different group or organization will run the event. Organizations such as the Sisters of Mercy and St. Mark’s Parish will do their part to raise money.

Thursday, Nov. 29 was college night. St. Michael’s, along with other schools, sent students, faculty, and staff to the phone-a-thon to contact as many potential donors as possible, Bouton says.

“The phone-a-thon is a good thing to do,” says Wally Perkins, donor and volunteer at COTS. “It’s a good way to get [COTS] known throughout the community.”

During the two-week event, prizes, pizzas, and chocolates, donated from private organizations, are given out to help make it an enjoyable experience for everyone involved, Bouton says.

“We try to make it fun,” Bouton says.

What is COTS?
       
On Christmas Eve 1982, COTS opened its first house for the homeless, the Sara Holbrook Community Center located on North Avenue in Burlington. Since then, COTS has evolved into an organization consisting of two family shelters, an overnight emergency house for adults, and a drop-in day time center where anyone can stay, Bouton says.

The purpose of COTS is to provide housing, services, and emergency shelter to those in need.  The objective of the organization is to advocate for long-term solutions that will ultimately lead to the end of homelessness, according to the COTS’ Web site.

“It’s not just a shelter,” Bouton says. “There’s a whole range of programs and services. Our goal is to help people get into housing and to work with organizations in town to produce affordable housing.”

When a pledge is made, the volunteer rings the bell on his or her desk and a runner comes by and picks up the paperwork. Larry Frisoli, photo illustration

At these family shelters, each person admitted must meet with a case manager, who develops a plan to help get the individual out of their unfortunate situation, Bouton says.

Along with the case managers, there are also volunteers who work with struggling parents. Perkins has volunteered at COTS for the past four years. She offers individual meetings for couples who are having trouble dealing with their children to their marriages.

“We discuss the problems with the parents and how they can work to fix their problems,” Perkins says.

COTS is very open-minded and always accommodates the needs of its workers, Perkins says. They do whatever they can to try every suggestion proposed by volunteers, she adds.

“I have liked my experience,” she says. “They have been more than willing to do what I like.”

Future COTS’ events include the candlelight vigil for the homeless on Dec. 19, the 25th anniversary celebration  on March 27, and the 2008 COTS walk on May 5.

St. Michael’s and COTS as a team
       
The phone-a-thon is not the only connection between St. Michael’s and COTS. St. Michael’s participates in many of the fund-raisers and events put on by COTS, says Heidi St. Peter, director of MOVE.

According to St. Peter, St. Michael’s takes part in the Temporary Relief Program, the COTS walk, and sends volunteers to the St. John’s Hall transitional house where the students make dinner and spend time with the individuals staying at the house.

Upstairs form the phone-a-thon, more volunteers work to get mail out for the next morning.   Larry Frisoli, photo

St. Michael’s also plays a role in the collaboration between Habitat for Humanity and COTS during hunger and homelessness week, St. Peter says.

“[COTS is] a wonderful organization to work with,” St. Peter says. “They have benefited us a lot with awareness and knowledge. It‘s one of the best examples of partnership that I’ve been a part of."

In 2006, seven suitemates at St. Michael’s students raised money for their COTS theme housing.

 “They appreciated our help so much,” says Katie Herbert, a former resident of the COTS theme housing. “Even if it was something so small.”