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People are often asking us about how people get connected to the shelter. Please be sure to send single adults and couples without children to our "shelter" tab to find out how to get connected. Here's what you will find:
Unfortunately, our shelter is currently full. However, there are two ways you can get connected (and we really want you to get connected) in case a bed opens up:
Our direct line phone number is (360) 918-8424. We have staff on site every night from 4pm-8am.
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 Bonnie Mills and her husband, Michael Cooper, rest on their beds in the couples room at the Interfaith Works shelter at the First Christian Church in downtown Olympia on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014. The couple - who have been married 31 years - are thankful for a warm, dry place to stay side-by-side, along with their two small service dogs. "He's all I've got," said Bonnie, who helps care for Michael's medical problems. "If I ever lose him, I'd lose everything." The Olympian
By Andy Hobbs Aside from needing more beds, downtown Olympia’s newest homeless shelter could use anything that keeps people warm. The Interfaith Works Overnight Emergency shelter opened Nov. 1 with 30 beds and has been full ever since. In fact, the waiting list has reached nearly 200 people, said program director Meg Martin. “We have been at capacity every single night. We’re turning people away,” Martin said. “It’s pretty bad how many people need shelter.” As the winter season ripens, the shelter wants to ensure that the local homeless population has access to blankets and socks, which often get soaking wet from outdoor use. Because of the lack of laundry facilities, it’s easier to give people new socks and blankets, rather than scramble for a place to wash and dry these items, Martin said. “We keep running out of blankets,” said Martin, noting the shelter’s efforts to meet basic needs for a vulnerable segment of the population. “The holidays can be really hard for folks living on the streets.” Interfaith Works is one of a variety of groups seeking donations for people in need this time of year. The shelter is located at First Christian Church, 701 Franklin St. SE. Organizers will eventually offer 42 beds, with 20 of those beds for women. The shelter’s website at iwshelter.org contains a wish list for donations such as: • Bedding supplies such as twin-size sheets, pillowcases and blankets. • Personal hygiene items such as toilet paper, paper towels, razors, deodorants, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, dental floss and combs. • Warm winter clothing such as coats, hats, gloves, socks and hand warmers. • Equipment such as a desktop printer, laptop computer, lockable filing cabinet, large-capacity coffee maker and high-quality extension cords, along with office supplies such as paper, binders, folders and permanent markers. • Online donors can also give cash or even a “winter care package” consisting of a coat, hat, hand warmers, wool socks and vitamin C supplement for one person. The shelter is a project of Interfaith Works, a local consortium of faith communities dedicated to serving people in need. One of the shelter’s main partners is the SideWalk Program, which connects the homeless with housing, case management and short-term rental assistance. The non-profit organization primarily works with single homeless adults to get them off the streets and into apartments. Rehousing people brings a sense of safety and helps stabilize people as they move forward with their lives – and any donations are welcome to help with the rent, said Danny Kadden, executive director. “We’re trying to simply have the largest fund available to pay rent subsidies or rent assistance,” Kadden said. “There’s nothing seasonal about that. It’s all year round.” According to the 2014 Thurston County homeless census, the number of unsheltered homeless people — those sleeping in places such as cars, parks, abandoned buildings and the streets — has increased, with volunteers counting 263 unsheltered homeless people. This represents about 44 percent of the total homeless population.
While the shelter won’t provide full meals, residents will have access to snacks and foods that can be microwaved, Martin said. Residents will be able to use kitchenettes and lounges fitted with couches.
“They’ll need a place to spend time and relax that isn’t their bed,” Martin said. Interfaith will also work with Behavioral Health Resources to provide treatment for mental illness. The SideWalk program will work with residents to move them toward permanent housing. The shelter’s 10 employees and several volunteers spent Saturday giving the space its finishing touches: painting signs on the walls, disinfecting surfaces and setting up beds. During the past month, the church basement has undergone a complete transformation, Martin said. Crews replaced the flooring, widened doorways to accommodate wheelchairs and painted all the walls. “We’ve done a lot of hard work to get here,” Martin said. “It’s really been a community-building experience for the employees and our volunteers.” To a large extent, the project had relied on the generosity of the community, she explained. The Thurston County HOME Consortium provided $259,500 in funding, and the project received about $250,000 in private donations. About 75 people volunteered their time to set up the shelter. “I’m just so grateful for everything everyone has contributed,” Martin said. “I can’t even think about it without wanting to cry.” |
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Meg Martin, LICSW, CPC, is the Executive Director for The Interfaith Works. Archives
March 2022
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