Up north in the Bronx, an imam has turned the two-story brick residence that houses his mosque into a makeshift overnight shelter for migrants, many of them men from his native Senegal. Islamic institutions in the Big Apple are struggling to keep up with the needs of the city's migrant population as an increasing number of asylum seekers come from Muslim-majority African countries. The challenge has become all the more pronounced during Ramadan, which began March 11 and ends April 9.
A new homeless shelter for single men slated to open in Valparaiso in the fall will offer a host of other services, including serving as a warming and cooling center in inclement weather and providing social services to those who need them, as well as taking the place of the overnight shelter that has been rotating at various churches. The city of Valparaiso donated .8 acres on Don Hovey Drive .