Grassroots homelessness outreach organization, SHILO, fighting to reclaim New Brunswick Train Station

Supporting Homeless Innovatively Loving Others (SHILO), a homelessness outreach and empowerment group based in New Brunswick, was told in October of this year by NJ Transit police that they could no longer distribute food and clothing on Sundays at the New Brunswick Train Station until they received a permit from NJ Transit, according to Walter Herres, founder and Executive Director of the organization. Herres said that they have been distributing food and clothing and offering support for the homeless there for over 5 years. He added that all officers, including NJ Transit police, respected SHILO’s work up until this past October when they were suddenly told they couldn’t set up there until they obtained a permit from NJ Transit.

Nancy Synder, Media Outreach for NJ Transit, told me, “With every group or individual who wants to use our facilities, system-wide they have to file a permit application with NJ Transit to be considered before they are able to set up whether it be a stand, hand out pamphlets, whatever. That is then taken under consideration and an answer is given to the group. Everybody who wants to use our facilities for any particular use has to have a permit. Every permit is considered on certain criteria in regards to making sure that whatever the planned use is doesn’t interrupt egress and ingress into our station for our customers. ”

According to Herres, he met with NJ Transit in their Newark Headquarters in October and reported the meeting as initially seeming like steps would be taken towards obtaining a permit.

“They at first agreed to a permit that would allow me to set up for an hour and a half. Praised the work we do. Then they never responded back after clergy, activists, and fellow journalists reached out several times offering to purchase this permit,” Herres said. “NJ Transit then emailed me back stating that they couldn’t give us a permit because it violates their contract with Dunkin Donuts.”

James Boyle, a volunteer with SHILO, stated that SHILO’s Sunday outreach is in no way disturbing the station function or stealing customers from Dunkin Donuts, as NJ Transit’s response was implying.

“It’s kind of sad, but most of the people we serve would probably not be able to afford anything from Dunkin, so we are definitely not “stealing their patrons.” It seems like what NJ Transit is really implying is that the the very sight of homeless people in the station is somehow impeding on the ingress and egress of the vendors, which is pretty blatant discrimination.”

According to Herres, the Dunkin Donuts in the train station is one of the few that doesn’t offer wifi and keeps their bathroom locked “due to the fact that they don’t want to address homelessness.”

SHILO now sets up their table across the street in an uncovered parking lot on Sundays. This location, volunteers say, makes it difficult to serve hot food and distribute dry clothing as the winter rolls in, bringing severe weather. On Sunday, December 8th at 9 pm members of SHILO and the New Brunswick community will be protesting at the train station to reclaim their “rightful position” under the awning of New Brunswick Train Station on Sunday evenings.

According to their event page for the protest, they have used every available resource at their disposal but have been “sidelined and dismissed at every turn.”

“This is just a clear example of how, when we define public space, we are always implicitly including and excluding certain people, and the only way certain marginalized groups — like homeless people — have been able to gain access to these spaces is through struggle,” said Boyle, “So to me, this isn’t just a fight over a train station; this is a battle against an entire urban regime in New Brunswick that has slowly chipped away at homeless people’s ability to be visible, to be seen, and to be truly part of the public.”

You can support SHILO by participating in the upcoming protest on December 8th, donating money, volunteering your time, or donating clothing and blankets. All donations can be dropped off at the Reformed Church of Highland Park.