With the freezing temperatures we’ve been experiencing, a local warming center is looking for volunteers.
Night Off the Streets uses five different churches as warming locations. They’ve been taking overflow from other local Carson City centers.
Volunteers with Night Off the Streets say they’ve been seeing about 40 to 45 people per night.
During the month of December, the Presbyterian Church in Carson has been the active warming center, after the new year they’ll move to the Methodist church for one month.
Those with the church say back in 2016, four people who were homeless reportedly froze to death because of the harsh winter conditions, leading them to open the doors of the churches for 6 years now to prevent the worst from happening.
The warming centers have seen a 31% increase and double the women compared to last year seeking shelter.
They say the average age range in the centers right now are individuals around 50 years old. Craig LaGier, the President & Founding Director of Night Off the Streets Inc. tells us, "When we pick them up at the bus they say, 'Are we going home now?' That's what they call this. It's a time and a place for them to gather together. We very seldom have any conflict or troubles."
Since the Warming Centers are held at churches, there are certain times they must vacate the area.
Doors open at 9 p.m. and everyone must leave at 6:30 a.m.
The church also provides them with warm drinks, sleeping bags and a place to lay down and rest for the night. They say this program is helpful, but it’s only a band aid to the real issue.
LaGier explains, "It's a three-step process to survive get them off the street, to stabilize them get them to the right social services get them into a motel or an apartment, and to thrive and be on their own."
With a high volume of people taking advantage of the traveling center, they are looking for more volunteers. You can find more information at the link below.Â
