Mid-Missouri homeless shelters prepare for colder weather

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two Mid-Missouri shelters that serve people experiencing homelessness are preparing to expand services, gather winter supplies and recruit volunteers as colder weather approaches.

Temperatures are forecast to drop into the 20s at night by the end of the week.

New Day Columbia plans to operate an overnight emergency warming center at Columbia's Voluntary Action Center Opportunity Campus for people who cannot get into another shelter. Jefferson City Room at the Inn is scheduled to open its seasonal emergency shelter Dec. 1 and operate through about the the end of March.

Darren Morton, executive director of New Day Columbia, said the organization operates its day center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the winter, staff members return at 6:30 p.m. to help with overflow and remain open through the night.

“You know, we set up, cots or, floor space, whatever is necessary just to get people indoors,” Morton said.

Morton said New Day is increasing the number of staff members available and on call during colder weather. The organization provides people with a warm place to stay, an opportunity to dry their belongings and access to other services.

New Day also provides showers, laundry, mail services for people who qualify, and limited storage. Morton said the day center has space to serve roughly 125 to 150 people.

The organization is gathering hand warmers and warm clothing as it prepares for winter.

“So hand warmers are always necessary. We got socks, but always socks. You know, we can’t ever get too many of that. And just warm things, you know, boots, gloves, stuff like that,” Morton said.

Morton said donations help New Day serve Boone County’s unsheltered community. Community members can also help by volunteering.

This will be New Day’s first winter operating at the Opportunity Campus. Morton said one concern is keeping the campus safe and accessible when snow and ice cover its sidewalks and other concrete areas.

“The shoveling. How are we going to make sure people are able to move around campus safe without any accidents happening? And, what’s that look like over here? So that’s one of my concerns,” Morton said.

In Jefferson City, Room at the Inn has a capacity of 20 people. Sarah Hamilton, chair of Jefferson City Room at the Inn, said the shelter served an average of about 19 people per night last winter. Its least crowded night still had 15 people.

“We’re not trying to do anything but keep folks alive. We’re not trying to help them get back on their feet other than they can stay on their feet. And that’s that’s our goal. We feed them, we keep them warm, and we keep them safe,” Hamilton said.

Room at the Inn keeps hats, gloves, hand warmers, toiletries, personal hygiene products and other basic supplies available for guests. Hamilton said the organization generally receives enough donated items, but it needs people to donate their time.

The shelter has one paid staff member who works about three overnight shifts each week. Hamilton said the rest of its operations are handled by volunteers, adding up to about 1,000 volunteer shifts during the three-and-a-half-month season.

“What we do need is time. We need folks to step up. Maybe put aside some of those fears that they have about working with the homeless population. And sign up to work a shift,” Hamilton said.

The organization offers evening, overnight and early morning shifts. People can also split a shift or participate in a shadow shift to learn how the shelter operates before taking on responsibilities.

Hamilton said winter storms can create staffing and operational challenges. Room at the Inn stays open throughout the day during significant snowstorms because other warming locations may be closed or difficult to reach.

“There’s always at least one big snowstorm that we have to worry about. And when those happen, we stay open all day because all the other warming centers in town are either inaccessible or closed,” Hamilton said.

Room at the Inn also plans to remain open throughout the day on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when some of the other shelters and warming centers are typically closed. The organization provides lunch and a warm place for people to remain during those days.

When Room at the Inn reaches capacity, Hamilton said it has previously provided rides to the Salvation Army or taken people to the Behavioral Health Crisis Center when those options were available.

People interested in volunteering with Jefferson City Room at the Inn can contact the organization through email or its Facebook page. Those interested in helping New Day Columbia can ask for the organization at VAC Opportunity Campus.