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Cold-weather shelter in Carbon County reports 31 nights open, limited volunteers and steady placements
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Summary
Task force members heard that the county's cold-weather shelter has opened for more than 30 nights, served about 29 unique guests with a peak occupancy of 14, and is facing volunteer shortages even as it supports placements to transitional housing, detox and Family Promise programs.
The Carbon County Homelessness Task Force heard an operations update on the county’s cold-weather shelter from Jessica, who said the shelter opened on Dec. 4 (year unclear in the transcript) and has been in operation 31 nights so far.
"We've been open 31 nights," Jessica said, adding the shelter has served 23 men and six women — 29 unique individuals — and reached a peak night of 14 guests. The facility has 26 beds available, she said.
Jessica described logistics for getting people to the site: transportation begins at 5:15 a.m. and the last vehicle leaves at 5:45 a.m., with pickup at the Caboose Pavilion near Dunbar's. She said staff will run double trips if needed.
The shelter reported recent placements for residents: one guest to Family Promise, one into a transitional program operated by Peaceful Nights, and several referrals to detox and rehab programs. "We've already gotten one of our guests placed with Family Promise," Jessica said, and noted two people recently went to detox and one left for rehab this week.
Jessica also described community outreach and volunteer needs. The shelter will hold open houses on Jan. 18 and Jan. 25 from 12:30–2 p.m.; these are daytime visits when no guests are present. "As always, we could always use more volunteers," she said, describing a reliance on a small number of people working multiple shifts.
Task force members pressed on operational details relevant to the upcoming point-in-time (PIT) count. Kim asked whether street outreach teams who find an unsheltered person after doors are locked can still arrange transport; Jessica said she would provide her cell number and remain at the shelter at least until 10 p.m. on such nights to accept guests.
The shelter lead said the shelter plans to open one Wednesday regardless of the temperature to ensure participation in the PIT count and to provide continuity for counting efforts.
Next steps: the task force will include the shelter’s counts in PIT preparations, encourage volunteer recruitment, and promote the January open-house dates to community members interested in viewing or supporting the site.
