The Winter Hospitality Overflow shelter for homeless families, women and couples at St. Andrew Lutheran Church had a waiting list before the doors even opened Monday evening. The overnight shelter at the Orchards church off Northeast Gher Road can house up to 50 people.
“It’s very unusual that the WHO (shelter) would fill up this quickly,” said Andy Silver, executive director of the Council for the Homeless. The agency, along with Share, helps oversee the temporary shelter.
Before the family shelter opened, the Council for the Homeless called everyone on the waiting list for temporary shelters at Share and offered them a space at WHO. Those people in need, along with some people they contacted near Share House in downtown Vancouver, reserved most of the space at St. Andrew, Silver said.
Kayla Baker, David Samoeun and their two children, Samona Samoeun, 2, and Rimany Samoeun, 4, were already on a waiting list to get into a shelter. They had gotten a call about WHO and were among the first people through the doors when the shelter opened at 6:30 p.m. Monday. After getting signed in, they walked to the back of the church, where food had been set out, and Samona and Rimany made a beeline for a basket of toys.
David Samoeun said he got kicked out of his old apartment after a former relationship went sour, and he went to jail. Baker said she fell on hard times after a death in the family.
“It’s nice to have things like this to help as a stepping stone,” Baker said.
Nine people who called the Council for the Homeless on Monday were able to reserve spots at the family shelter. The rest, a handful of callers, were not able to reserve a spot.
Typically, it takes a few weeks to fill all of the bed spaces at the WHO shelters, Silver said. There’s turnover in the winter and it can take a while to get the word out to everyone living on the streets.
Besides the family shelter in Orchards, there’s a men’s shelter at St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Vancouver. St. Paul didn’t fill up, though space also was open at nearby Share House, said volunteer Joy Gault. The church, which has two sleeping rooms that have bunk beds and space for mats, can house 24 people. Share House has space for 30 more.
“The men are absolutely wonderful, very respectful,” Gault said Monday. “The guys down there tonight were glad to be inside.”
Last year, the men’s shelter served 176 people. The family shelter served 506 people, including 157 children. Advocates for the homeless believe the shelters may be busier this year given the increased need for emergency housing.
Volunteer Kathy Hauge said St. Andrew has seen more children over the last few years. So, they’ve stocked more toys and children’s books, and the gym will be open in the evenings until it’s time to lay out the beds.
How to Help: Winter Hospitality Overflow
Carmen’s Favorite Things, a fundraising concert featuring Tony Smiley.
• When: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.
• Where: Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main St., Vancouver.
• Why: Donations for Winter Hospitality Overflow shelters, such as toothpaste, shampoo, soap, razors and feminine products, will be collected.
Annual concert benefitting Winter Hospitality Overflow shelters.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
• Where: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 8701 N.E. 119th St. in the Glenwood area.
• Why: Several churches will perform and accept donations for overflow shelters.
• To volunteer at a Winter Hospitality Overflow shelter, contact Lynn Johnson at whoprogram@gmail.com or 360-200-8757.
Those staying at St. Andrew have to clean up and leave by 8 a.m., before preschool starts at the church.
Once people get into a more permanent shelter, space should open up at the winter shelters, said WHO coordinator Lynn Johnson. The demand for space is evident as people showed up to the church before the doors opened.
“It breaks my heart,” Johnson said.
Johnson is worried that homeless families will have a difficult time this winter getting from the family shelter in Orchards across town to the day shelter at Friends of the Carpenter in the Fruit Valley neighborhood.
“We’re in need of bus passes and gas cards,” Johnson said.
The day shelter isn’t slated to open until next month, though. That means those living on the streets who are on the waiting list for overflow shelters have no shelter to go to during the day or night. Temperatures are predicted to dip into the 40s with rain possible throughout this week.
The original intention of Winter Hospitality Overflow shelters was to provide everyone who wanted shelter a warm place to sleep during the winter months, Silver said. With the possibility of not being able to serve everyone looking for shelter, faith groups are trying to come up with more solutions for housing the homeless this winter, Silver said.
Another possibility would be setting up more long-term motel situations for families who can’t get into WHO shelters.
Winter shelters are open until the end of March.
