WASHINGTON — Residents of the Harriet Tubman Women's Shelter in the Hill East neighborhood in Southeast, DC complain of poor conditions inside and claim many women are going hungry.
You may never know what happens inside the women’s shelter at the old D.C. morgue, until you stop and ask someone.
“God put you, oh did He put you in my path today!” exclaimed Dianna Key.
As I was leaving the DC jail on January 11th, I ran into Dianna Key. On that brisk and windy winter day, she was walking to get lunch at the grocery store a mile away.
“I want people to know women are starving all day at the shelter,” she said.
Key said lunch was not being served, leaving many to buy their own meal if they had the funds or assistance to do so. She also said toiletries were running low.
“These women need the basic necessities of life while they’re trying to come up from where they are,” said Key.
So, I stopped by again on Tuesday, and about eight women, some using walkers and one was woman was wheeling oxygen, shared their concerns.
“They are not feeding people enough inside because for breakfast not everybody has an opportunity to eat,” said Jacqueline Edmonds who said breakfast is served from 5-7 a.m.
“It’s cereal and cakes and all kinds of sugary stuff that diabetics can’t eat,” added another woman Gloria, “I eat sugar basically all day long there!”
“It’s not a healthy environment,” added Elizabeth Everhart.
Christina Simpson who had oxygen tubes in her nose said, “In order for me to get my oxygen full they won’t let me keep all my bottles in my room to fill them up because they say it’s a weapon.”
“I see these women every day and we’re trying,” chimed in Asia Green who just started staying at the shelter as she works to regain custody of her daughter.
“We need a doctor here, it’s like they’re trying to kill us!” said another woman who did not share her name, “I said Jesus! I thank the Lord that y’all came because we really need y’all help!”
The city’s low barrier and first-come, first-serve shelter serves about 175 women. The nonprofit Catholic Charities is the contracted provider. A spokesperson said DC’s Department of Human Services stopped providing lunches to shelters in May of 2023 once the COVID emergency was lifted and provided free transportation. But they referred WUSA9 to DHS for comments on the women’s complaints. I asked DHS about the issues, and the growing snow-covered pile of trash nearby. Just after our broadcast, a spokesperson sent me this statement:
“DHS is committed to providing safe and dignified shelter for our residents. Shelters offer continental breakfast and hot dinner to shelter guests. Shelters receive daily professional cleaning. A range of community partners provide services and lunch during daytime hours. Day service center off case management, connection to workforce development, health care and other supports. Daytime programs are either in close proximity to or co-located at shelters.”
In the meantime, the women are speaking out for what they say they deserve – even in a shelter.
“We’re tired of putting up with this mess that they’re putting us through we’re sick of it,” said Edmonds.
“It’s not a punishment, it’s life,” said Keys, “life happens - it’s not a punishment. We’re treated like we’re being punished and forgotten.”
The shelter residents are now represented by a woman in the ANC. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Shameka Hayes was sworn-in at the DC jail on January 11th.