More homeless seeking shelter during frigid weather

Gaston County’s cold weather shelter is open only on nights that the temperature is expected to drop below 32 degrees.

This week, the shelter was open nearly every night due to extremely cold weather, according to Melanie Lowrance, the special project administrator for Gaston County Community Support Services.

With temperatures dropping in recent weeks, the shelter is in need of volunteers to make sure it's able to open when needed.

At a Gastonia City Council meeting on Jan. 2, the council discussed whether or not the city should allocate an additional $3,400 to the cold weather shelter.

Councilman Robert Kellogg said that the number of people using the shelter has increased this year.

Last year, five or six people were taking advantage of the site on cold nights, and this year that number is anywhere from 15 to 21 people seeking shelter, Kellogg said.

A stay at the shelter includes a meal, access to basic necessities and a cot to sleep on from 6 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

The service has grown in several ways since last year.

According to Kellogg, the cold weather shelter did not offer meals last year, and the length of the stay at the shelter was significantly shorter.

This year, the shelter is open longer, and the area has experienced more extremely cold temperatures, calling for the shelter to be open more frequently.

Due to the new hours, services and unpredictable weather, the shelter needs more volunteers.

“We’ve already had more cold weather nights this year than what we had last year… and one more comment, we do need volunteers. There have been nights where the shelter was not able to open because there wasn’t enough volunteers, and for the safety of those individuals who come there we do need to have volunteers every night that it's open,” Kellogg said.

On Wednesday, Jan. 17, a shelter-goer expressed the same sentiment.

“There were a couple of chilly days that they didn’t let us in because they didn’t have volunteers,” said Ronald Hill, a 72-year-old homeless Gaston County resident who regularly utilizes the shelter.

Hill said he has been living in Gastonia for three years after losing his rental home in Lincolnton when prices got too high.

Those looking to volunteer with the shelter can sign up for one of three shifts including 6 - 11 p.m., 6 p.m. - 1 a.m., and 1 - 7 a.m.

The shelter closes at 6:30 a.m. so the staff will have 30 minutes to clean up before breakfast begins for the Salvation Army’s long-stay residents.

Volunteers can email css@gastongov.com to be added to the list and receive emails when volunteers are needed.

Meal and necessity donations are also accepted.

According to Lowrance, meals served last Wednesday were personally delivered by Gaston County Representative Donnie Loftis and North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston cold weather shelter opened most of the week