SPOKANE, Wash. — 40 more shelter beds will soon be available to those in need.
Following the example of previous pop-ups, City Church Spokane will now serve as a warming center during the upcoming winter months.
“Well this has been our mission from the beginning,” said Julie Garcia of Jewels Helping Hands. “It’s always to provide our services with love, dignity, kindness, and respect.”
Shelter space is hard to come by during winters in Spokane. Beds quickly fill as people try to escape brutal temperatures.
As a result, some nights are spent suffering on the streets.
Churches across the city are starting to answer the calls for help. Last month, Westminster Congregational served as a temporary shelter.
The latest to open their doors is City Church Spokane.
“We’ve learned that we’re not only helping homeless people, we’re helping the community as well. People are ready and willing to help, they just don’t know how.”
Jewels Helping Hands has now led to six different warming centers. Their latest one is in response to a Mead homeless camp that’s being evicted.
Taking them to an already loaded shelter would only cause problems.
Instead, they decided to create a new space that will operate at least until the end of February.
“Nobody wants anybody sleeping out in the streets in their doorways freezing to death in our city so these are the best solutions,” said Garcia.
Everything at the shelter comes from donations including the beds and three meals that are provided throughout the day.
Mayor Nadine Woodward has said in the past that she’s in favor of pop up shelters like the one at City Church. Jewels are another layer of security to help people in need.
Right now they're working with two other churches in Spokane to potentially bring more shelters.