The woman’s water broke as she stepped into the second-floor hallway of the shelter. A staff member trained as a first responder helped her into the elevator and dialed 911. By the time the elevator doors opened, he had delivered the baby.

This is one of many medical situations the staff at the Coalition of Service and Charity (COSAC) shelter has had to face. And according to founder/director Sean Cononie, they don’t take the responsibility of their clients’ health lightly.

"They don’t have a family. This is their family," he says.

Cononie does whatever he can to keep the residents healthy, even when it means wrestling a box cutter away from a severely depressed man trying to commit suicide.

"He missed his jugular, thank God," Cononie says. "But there was so much blood we thought he was going to die."

The staff is trained to deal with emergency situations. There are about 12 first responders who work at COSAC, and the shelter uses an ambulance as its medical office during outreach programs.

Not all medical emergencies end well. Cononie’s office is sometimes turned into a hospice room.

"We’ve had about 10 people die in my office," he says.

They may not have any family members with them, but no one at COSAC is alone during their final moments.

"Everyone should die with someone by their side," Cononie says.

This belief in community spirit is what sets COSAC apart from other shelters, residents say. Doctors, nurses and psychiatrists are brought in to ensure every resident receives the medical attention he or she needs.

Resident George Winfrey, who estimates that he has been to three shelters in the last five years, says, "This is the only shelter that I’ve been in that provides doctors [for] their clients."

Winfrey says he’s doing his part to make sure that everyone stays healthy. A professional chef with 20 years of experience, he is creating a special menu for diabetic residents.

"Food is my passion," Winfrey says.

Winfrey is also making sure that the food is properly handled and doesn’t spoil, something that sets fellow resident William Tabarovsky at ease.

Tabarovsky was so inspired by Winfrey’s dedication that he has taken on the shelter’s sanitation as his personal mission.

"My role is the upkeep of the place," Tabarovsky says. "I make sure that everything is clean to a T."

Cleaning bathrooms may not seem as important as delivering a baby, but Winfrey argues that everyone has their own role in maintaining the health of the residents at the shelter.

"Solving the homeless problem is the same way," Winfrey says. "It’s about everyone doing their part."