Gateway West

[studioofhope]

This is the main Albuquerque Shelter, and is probably the BEST homeless shelter in ABQ.  Not what you expected me to say? (the bar is set pretty low, in fact there is NO bar!)
It's true, this shelter is very safe, and your property is reasonably safe, what I mean by "reasonably" don't leave your phone, wallet, purse or anything that could be easily taken without someone noticing, unattended or on your bed! If you have a valuable item that you value, take it with you or lock it in your storage drawer (more of a cage, reminds me of a lobster trap) bring your own lock, though just pushing it under your bed is going to stop 99% of all thieves from taking it (we have cameras in all the dorms) if something is missing just ask security to check the video! The people here are mostly normal, some have mental issues, but none are really bad, most people follow the "golden rule" (treat people the way you want to be treated) the modern version is: (respect other people and they will respect you) My favorite saying: "love one another, and you too will be loved" is the root of the golden rule.

Breakfast at 9am is a bowl of Ceral of your choice, fruit cup or banana and 1% milk or Soy milk. Lunch is at 12pm people under 60 yrs old, juice box, chips, sandwich or chicken/tuna noodle salad. We have a refrigerator and microwave in every dorm, plus filtered water dispensers and bottled water. Senior meals are M-F by Meals-on-wheels. milk, 3 compartment tray, and a fruit cup, or cookie or whatever the feel like including... Some meals are good others are very bizarre. Dinner is served between 5:45 and 6:30 pm, this is a hot meal 6 days of the week and a sub sandwich with potato or noodle salad on Sunday, the weekly meals are different each day, but always hot and filling, 3 types of breaded chicken breast, and one processed breaded chicken patty, Hot link sausage, Bean chimichanga with beans and rice, Pene Pasta with bolognese sauce and corn on the bottom, you will always find corn or green beans at the bottom of your food and a dinner roll with every hot meal. These meals are catered in by Old Town Catering. We also get either a snack or another diner tray around 11pm... You will not starve or go hungry at West Side!

No mold or mildew in the showers, the floor coverings ars less than 3 years old, the beds are all less than 3 years old, they are on the extra firm side, so bring a sleeping bag and a pillow (you will be glad you did!) you can go outside whenever you want, and stay as long as you want (given you follow the rules)

• NO WEAPONS
• NO WEED
• NO EXTENSION CORDS
• NO POWER STRIPS
• NO NON-MEDICAL APPLIANCES

The lights come on at 5am, and off at 10pm. you don't have to get-up or go unless you want to.
If you do leave, you can leave your stuff in the dorm(don;t take too much with you, because the bus driver may not let you on with more than a backpack and a large shopping bag (Matilda the not so nice bus driver makes up rules on the fly)
The City of Albuquerque and CPLC do not believe ADA II is applicable to homeless  we have 1 and only 1 dorm with a handicap bathroom stall and fully accessible showers, they closed and locked the dorm, and moved all of the men over 60 to dorm "A" this dorm is completely inaccessible, though there are 2 LOCKED handicap accessible bathroom's that we can use, if you can find someone with a key to let you in. After making dorm "A" into the crippled and old folks dorm, they filled all of the upper bunks with healthy young (and addicted) people that vape 5-MeO-DMT all day and night, the effects of their drug use on me starts with numbness in my mouth tightness/ sharp pain in my chest and extremely high blood pressure 180/70 or higher just from smelling the second hand vape, the facility does nothing to stop the drug use, OD's are a daily occurrence, your experience will probably be better!