WASHOUGAL — Washougal’s two extreme climate shelters are merging in an effort to increase life-saving providers wanted by residents.
ReFuel Washougal’s in a single day extreme climate shelter has joined forces with the Camas-Washougal Salvation Military’s day shelter to create the Washougal Neighborhood Extreme Climate Shelter, which can function out of the Salvation Military, 1612 I St., Washougal.
“It makes sense,” Salvation Military Director Samantha Wheeler stated. “It seems like a perfect fit, and it’s natural that it would kind of happen this way. I think it’s going to be a good thing for everybody involved.”
The mixed shelter will assist restricted assets go additional.
“There are so many pluses to this,” stated Tia Billings, ReFuel’s extreme climate shelter coordinator.
The brand new shelter presents 22 beds, a hygiene middle and meals, in line with Wheeler.
The shelter may also be capable to home pets within the occasion of extreme climate.
“There will be some guidelines that (pet owners will) need to follow — the pets can’t create a disturbance — but we certainly will try to accommodate people with their pets,” she stated. “I know that there are some people who wouldn’t come into a shelter situation because they couldn’t bring their pets.”
The ReFuel shelter has operated in Washougal for the reason that winter of 2017. It was at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in its first yr, then moved to the Washougal Neighborhood Heart.
Billings took the reins from Robert Barber, the shelter’s first coordinator and pastor of St. Matthew’s.
“My son and I used to stay at the shelter, and so I felt that I really knew what the people needed because of our experiences,” she stated.
ReFuel leaders started looking for a brand new residence for the shelter early this yr after studying of town of Washougal’s plans to shut the group middle within the fall for renovation.
“I was definitely stressed because we don’t have very many options out here,” Billings stated. “It kind of has been on our shoulders.”
Wheeler stated the Salvation Military stepped in when the group requested.
“We love partnering with others to make our community a better place,” Wheeler stated. “We’ve worked closely with ReFuel and the city. … Now we’ll just be open 24 hours. If people in the community need a place to go to stay warm and safe, that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to stay open.”
Rose Jewell, town of Washougal’s group engagement supervisor, helped coordinate the logistics. Jewell serves on the boards of each ReFuel and the Salvation Military.
The merger is predicted to be everlasting, in line with Billings and Wheeler.
The Washougal Neighborhood Extreme Climate Shelter shall be activated throughout extreme winter climate, when temperatures are anticipated to be at or under 30 levels.
However the shelter can solely open if there are sufficient volunteers.
“We have had some returning volunteers already; it’s like the one volunteer thing that they do every year,” Billings stated. “We’ve got some really good core people, but unfortunately, it’s not enough. … We couldn’t just rely on the core people because it wouldn’t be enough to be open. We’re always taking in new volunteers.”
Volunteers should attend a coaching class and full a background examine earlier than signing up for shifts for the 2024-25 season. The subsequent class shall be held in January.