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Mercyhealth spokesperson Therese Michels confirmed the shelter has been closed temporarily after the departure of leadership staff and most of the shelter’s volunteers.

Michels said the women’s emergency shelter in the Fourth Ward is slated to reopen in a couple of weeks under new management, but Mercyhealth is now seeking volunteers to help support the shelter’s 24-hour operations.

The Mercyhealth Development Foundation, which operates the nonprofit House of Mercy, plans to host an open house for prospective volunteers from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the House of Mercy, 320 Lincoln St.

The House of Mercy has provided emergency housing services for thousands of women and their children since 1996.

More than half the shelter’s clients are children.

Michels said volunteers typically commit four to 12 hours a month to helping at the shelter, and some of the volunteer shifts run overnight.

Volunteers don’t need specialized social work skills to help out at the House of Mercy.

“The skill set people need is simply to be friendly, welcoming and open to working with a diverse population,” Michels said.

Volunteers handle a range of roles at the shelter, including answering phones; managing the shelter’s client wait list; supplying clients and others with details on local social service, housing and employment programs; accepting donations; and helping shelter staff with general duties.

During a recent online meeting of Rock County’s Diversity Action team, former leadership at the House of Mercy indicated in an electronic chat that the shelter had shuttered temporarily.

Michels said that during House of Mercy’s closure, clients who have needed emergency shelter at House of Mercy are being provided temporary housing at local hotels.