Atascadero Warming Center needs volunteers

Posted: 4:24 am, February 15, 2019 by News Staff

Atascadero warming shelter

–The Transitional Food & Shelter Atascadero Warming Center is looking for volunteers who can chaperone at the center to help provide people who are suffering from homelessness a warm, safe place to sleep. The Warming Center is located at Dove Creek Church of the Nazarene and is typically open nights when the temperature falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or when it’s raining.

They need two chaperones per shift—There are two shifts per night—7 p.m. to 1 a.m. and 1 a.m. to 7 a.m.

The center provides a warm, safe place from the elements during the winter months with a nice dinner meal, breakfast, and a bag lunch for the next day. There are typically 24 -28 people at any given night.

“We are doing good. We have a few people who have actually turned their life around for the better. The generosity of our volunteers’ time and their compassion have made the difference,” said Ann Berry-Gallegos, Atascadero Warming Center Volunteer.

If you’re interested in helping out, please call Ann Berry-Gallegos at (805) 441-4897.

About Transitional Food and Shelter

In our North County Communities, there are over 500 of the most vulnerable Homeless men, women and families with young children ranging from babies and ages up to 12th grade high schoolers. Overwhelmed by Homelessness, hunger, lack of clothing, physical illness, mental illness, PTSD, injury, disabilities and unemployment, they have nowhere to go. When our weather turns colder, and rain soon begins to fall, these Homeless will spend their nights wet, cold and hungry. Food, hygiene and a safe place to sleep are absent from their lives.

Transitional Food & Shelter (TFS) serves the most vulnerable 80-percent of the Homeless thru two programs:

• The Medically Fragile Homeless program (MFH) helps the fully disabled homeless who have no resources, can’t care for themselves and have nowhere to go. MFH provides 24/7, food, shelter and services, placing them in tiny houses, provides food and helps direct their medical care. MFH operates county-wide

• The Atascadero Warming Center (AWC) program serves the largest segment of the Homeless. During winter AWC provides food and a place to sleep in warm, dry, and safe overnight shelter from 7 p.m. till 7 a.m. when the temperature is less than 40 degrees or the forecast for rain is greater than 50-percent. In 2017-2018 AWC provided over 3,737 shelter nights, served 8,023 meals in 101 nights it was open to the most vulnerable, the largest segment of the homeless in the North County.