Winter in the northwest rolls around with amazing regularity – and people who live outside find themselves with a heightened need to find a safe and warm place to sleep. Council for the Homeless (CFTH) provides coordinated entry to place people in available shelter beds and share walk-in shelter options through the Housing Hotline (360-695-9677). CFTH also works to identify new partners and volunteers to sustain and expand the community’s capacity to provide safe, warm sleeps for individuals and families during the winter months.
The need remains great in the community. According to the 2019 Point in Time count held on January 24th, 487 people were counted as being unsheltered. Thanks to the generosity of community partners, approximately 110 Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO) spaces are available between November 1st and March 30th ; and up to an additional 120 Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) spaces are available on nights when the temperature drops below 32 degrees. All of these shelter partners rely heavily on community volunteers to keep their doors open throughout the winter season.
“You will enjoy serving the families at the St. Andrew shelter. It is a warm, caring environment where the guests are helpful and grateful for your service.” – Jane Seidel, WHO Task Force
WHO Volunteers Needed!
Last season WHO shelters provided a total of 10,602 safe sleeps. It takes 1700 volunteers to operate the WHO program at its two locations: St. Andrew Lutheran Church (for families/single women/couples) and St. Paul Lutheran Church (for men). Volunteering at either location requires a background check, which can be downloaded at the website and mailed to the address provided on the form. A member of the WHO staff will respond in person with a conversation about the volunteer’s role. Volunteers can also message Jane Seidel of St. Andrew Lutheran Church or Geri Hiller of St. Paul Lutheran Church directly by phone (360-200-8757) or email. There are several shifts to choose from which can be discussed at the time of the call. Volunteers are welcome to invite their friends, church members or co-workers to participate as well, which makes the experience even more enjoyable.
Notice:
The St. Andrew shelter is in greatest need of volunteers during the week of January 1st through January 9th. This is an opportunity for individuals but especially for someone connected to a group of friends, co-workers or church members who could coordinate the volunteers for any part or the whole week. Please contact Jane Seidel directly if this is an opportunity of particular interest or access the sign- up genius CLICK HERE.
Severe Weather Shelter Volunteers Needed!
Volunteering for SWS is a good fit for people who can navigate severe winter weather in an “on call” capacity. Volunteers are needed during times when the county is alerted to severe weather by the CFTH Housing Hotline staff. Currently, there are three congregations and one community center who try to make their facilities available during severe weather, but each of them relies on a sufficient number of volunteers to do open their doors on any given night. To volunteer with an SWS facility, please use this link to the Outsiders Inn website and complete a quick volunteer application and authorization for a background check.
“It has been a rewarding experience to open our doors to vulnerable community members.” – Cheryl Pfaff, SWS Facility Lead
Facilities Needed!
Providing enough beds for those who want to have a safe sleep during the coldest night saves lives. Additional facilities, particularly faith based, are needed in order to make sure enough bed options exist. Churches, faith communities or organizations that have facilities to offer can start the conversation by reaching out to Laura Ellsworth at Council for the Homeless. Thank you for considering a role in providing this essential service to our most vulnerable community members.