A group of local churches, community organizations and volunteers is in the process of setting up temporary shelter for the homeless during the winter months in Gloucester.

The community effort has organized under the name, “GUEST,” which stands for “Gloucester United Emergency Shelter Team,” and hopes to have shelter available for the county’s homeless men, women and families by sometime in January.

According to GUEST spokesperson Kevin Sweeney, the idea for the shelter came through the Gloucester-Mathews office of the Salvation Army and its director, Darlene Lee.

Sweeney, who is the vicar of St. James Anglican Church in Gloucester, said Lee’s office has been inundated over the years with requests by those needing temporary or emergency shelter. With no shelter available, the Salvation Army has been putting these families up in local hotels. However, they are only able to stay for a very short period of time becaus...