As it gets colder outside, two local churches are preparing to open their doors as Winter Hospitality Overflow shelters for the homeless. St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Vancouver and St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Orchards begin sheltering people Nov. 1.
St. Paul at 1309 Franklin St. will host a kickoff event at 6 p.m. Thursday where people can learn about the Winter Hospitality Overflow, or WHO, shelters and sign up to volunteer. People who have stayed at the shelters will share their stories.
This is the 15th year for the seasonal shelter system, which requires thousands of volunteer hours. Forty-two different congregations and faith groups are involved, taking turns staffing the shelters. St. Paul shelters men, and St. Andrew takes in women and families.
The WHO shelters are open Nov. 1 through the end of March, providing overnight shelter for people who can’t get into the regular year-round shelters, which are consistently full.
