Dangerously cold temperatures prompt shelters to open for Portland’s homeless
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Dangerously cold temperatures have many agencies and even churches and non-profits opening their doors to keep Portland’s homeless safe and warm this weekend.
Sorting through hundreds of donations, volunteers at Blanchet House spent much of Friday getting ready to give out warm weather gear to Portland’s most vulnerable, as below freezing temps move in.
“The public has been incredible this week, so generous. They brought us a small mountain of warm coats and sweatshirts and blankets and sleeping bags,” Julie Showers with Blanchet House, said. “Yesterday during lunch, we gave out 172 coats and sweaters in less than an hour.”
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Still, they say they’re in great need of more coat donations, especially those in large and extra-large sizes so people can layer up to stay warm this winter. Meanwhile, other staff are doing outreach, trying to get those experiencing homelessness into warming shelters.
“They’re not watching the news, they don’t have phones, they have no idea how dangerous this weather is, so our staff is going out on the sidewalk and saying, ‘hey, these shelters are open, can we call you a ride,’ because we can call 211 and get them a ride,” Showers said. “Hopefully, we’ve built that relationship and they trust us. They know we’re going to send them somewhere safe.”
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We caught up with Stanley Cohen in line at Blanchet House. He lives nearby and says he hopes more can be done to get people off the streets and into safe, warm housing.
“I feel sorry for those who are sleeping outside in this cold weather,” Cohen said. “They should take old vacant buildings and convert them into nice places for them for a bed and warm.”
On Friday, the local Salvation Army opened two 24-hour warming shelters that will run through Tuesday, including the Washington County Hope Center at 1440 SE 21st Avenue in Hillsboro and Salvation Army Moore Street Corps and Community Center at 5325 N Williams Avenue, adding that no one – including pets – will be turned away. They hope the community will also be inspired to help on their own.
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“This is an opportunity for people just to pay attention to who they see on the streets, who they see as they’re out and about and reach out and try to offer some food or a hot cup of coffee or even call 211 on their behalf,” the Salvation Army Portland Metro social services coordinator, Major Bob Lloyd, said. “Pay attention to your neighbors, check on those folks next door. Check on the people that you see are clearly struggling. Just be attentive and care on your own, if you will, so we can make Portland the amazing community that it is.”
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