Volunteers needed to open warming shelter

CORRECTION: The original press release stated that volunteer training would be offered Friday, Jan. 27. However, it has come to the City’s attention that training was offered Thursday, Jan. 26. The press release below has been corrected to include the correct training date. The City apologizes for the error. 

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Onward Roseburg is seeking volunteers to help open the Roseburg Warming Center from Sunday night, Jan. 29, through Wednesday morning, Feb. 1.

Everyone in need of temporary overnight shelter on especially cold winter nights will be welcome at the center housed in the Roseburg Senior Center, 1614 SE Stephens St., said warming center operator Kimetha Stallings.

“This isn’t a homeless warming center. It’s a community warming center,” said Stallings, founder of Onward Roseburg. “Some families may have trouble keeping heat on. It’s open for anybody.”

National Weather Service forecasts currently call for overnight lows of 18 to 26 degrees Sunday through Tuesday nights.

“There is a real risk of death when temperatures get that low,” said Stallings, who added the warming center may reopen the following weekend if overnight temperatures take another plunge.

Check-in begins at 6 p.m. with 60 cots available for guests and volunteers. A free senior center shuttle will make one circuit around town to pick up guests starting about 5:30 p.m. and operate again in the morning. But individuals can arrive any time during the night. A cot, blanket and pillow plus hot dinner and breakfast are provided. Guests can stay until 8 a.m. each morning.

Stallings will offer volunteer training at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the senior center for anyone interested. The training will go over warming center operations and rules as well as the use of naloxone or Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. Volunteers can sign up at https://www.facebook.com/Warming.Center.Onward or on signupgenius.com at https://bit.ly/3WFK2ve. Stallings will seek laundry-day volunteers later.

Donations needed include winter pants for women and men, jackets, scarves, socks, gloves and hand warmers. Recently, a community member donated 35 to 40 winter jackets bought on sale at Costco after pooling money with friends, Stallings said. The City may help pay operating costs if needed. Also, the Roseburg Rescue Mission offers overnight shelter at 752 SE Pine St. all year.

The City’s Severe Event Shelter Policy, Resolution No. 2020-22, provides operational standards for organizations seeking City approval to open a temporary emergency shelter in buildings not designated as residential occupancy. Those operational standards include allowing a warming shelter to open during severe weather:

• on nights when the low temperatures are predicted to be 30 degrees Fahrenheit or less;

• or when low temperatures are forecasted to be 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less with additional factors that could increase a person’s risk of exposure to cold such as precipitation, wind, fog and sustained low temperatures.