Severe Weather Shelters Train New Volunteers

New volunteers operating severe weather shelters this season, through Interfaith Coalition, can get training Monday Dec. 16, said Kara Hauerwas, who works at Interfaith Coalition.

                The Coalition partners with two congregations to host the shelters.

                The men’s shelter is located at Faith Lutheran Church, on 2750 McLeod Road, and the women and children’s shelter is hosted by Garden St. United Methodist Church, on 1326 N. Garden St.

The Minister of College, Youth & Children at Garden St. United Methodist Church, Angie Ritchey, said, “The shelters open when there are life threatening weather conditions.”

Volunteers put effort into making those who arrive “, feel like honored guests,” Ritchey said.

                The Pastor of the Faith Lutheran Church, Sharon Swanson, said there is no way of telling exactly when the shelter opens; and it can be possible to not open at all in some winters.

                Other winters, the shelter could be open multiple days in a row.

“The most I’ve seen is 14 days one December,” Swanson said.

                Laura Harker, the executive director of Interfaith Coalition, and others from the coalition make the decision to open the shelters first thing in the morning, said Hauerwas.

                We set out flags outside the shelters and sandwich-board signs in town, Ritchey said, but word-of-mouth is another way people hear about the opening.

                When the shelter is open multiple nights in a row and word-of-mouth spreads, the turn-out grows and more volunteers are coordinated to work, Hauerwas said.

                A volunteer coordinator contacts volunteers and media as soon as the decision is made to open, Hauerwas said. The decision could be made at 6 a.m. to open the shelters that night, and volunteers organize in time to get the shelter open by 5 p.m, Hauerwas said.

                “We really couldn’t do it without volunteers,” said Hauerwas. 

                “We feed guests dinner and make them comfortable,” said Richey.

Likewise, Swanson said volunteers make an effort to make the shelters comfortable.

 “We respect the privacy of the guests so they each have their own space,” Swanson said, “they work very well together because everyone wants to make it work.”

While the shelter is open, volunteers may organize special things but it isn’t officially planned, Swanson said, for example in one instance a pizza place in town donated pizzas to one of the shelters.

                “It can be hard to coordinate, so we keep it very simple,” Swanson said.

                About 10 volunteers will be in the shelter at one time, and “the congregation is very involved,” Swanson said.

                Because these severe weather shelters are a partnership, volunteers can come from outside the congregations too.

                “We just host it. People all over the community volunteer,” Ritchey said.

                 “We’ve had to learn we are not providing long-term care, so it’s a hard thing to do,” Richey said, but “its amazing experience for me being able to help these people for a short time.”

                Some of the tasks volunteers take care of, Hauerwas said, include heating water for hot chocolate and making sure guests have enough blankets.

                If the shelter is open multiple nights in a row, blankets get labeled in bags for guests to re-use the same blanket the next night, Hauerwas said, otherwise they are washed.

                “But sleeping mats are sanitized each night,” Hauerwas said.

Both men and women volunteers can work at the men’s shelter, while only women volunteers can work at the women and children’s shelter, Hauerwas said.

                While the shelters can be open multiple nights and a row, the shelter hours are 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., Hauerwas said.

                Hauerwas also explained volunteers work in three shifts:

                4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

                10 p.m. to 5:45 a.m.

                5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

                The first shift of volunteers arrive before 5 p.m. in order to register and orient guests as they arrive and to get dinner prepared, Hauerwas said.

                At the men’s shelter only men volunteers work the night shift, Hauerwas said, and during the night shift volunteers are able to take turns to sleep while a few volunteers are always awake for safety and security.

                Morning volunteers get hot water and breakfast ready and help guests as they leave, Hauerwas said.

The Interfaith Coalition also has a housing program for homeless families, manages an annual coat drive, and provides medical services through the Interfaith Community Health Center, a private non-profit organization.