With more frigid temperatures in the forecast, Egan Warming Centers in Eugene and Springfield will be open once again on Tuesday. The shelters have been open nightly since Friday.
Long activations can be hard on the volunteers and staff who help to provide the service.
Blaze Kenyon is director of homeless and shelter services at St Vincent de Paul of Lane County, which administers the warming centers. He said they were unable to open one of their sites this week because of a lack of volunteers. Kenyon said it’s a rewarding way to give back to the community.
“Most of the guests are very grateful for the option to have a warm place to stay,” he said. “They're offered food and drinks and that sort of thing through the night, hot chocolate and oatmeal. So, it's rewarding because the experience is generally positive and we're all just there coming together just to help support people that are in need.”
Kenyon said the training process is being streamlined to encourage more people to volunteer.
You can find out more at the Egan Warming Center Facebook page or on the St. Vincent de Paul website.
Egan is also in need of donations of warm blankets and non-perishable food items. Those can be dropped off at St Vinnies donation centers– just say they’re for Egan Warming Center.
Kenyon said the number of people seeking shelter at Egan has been steadily climbing as the activation continues and cold temperatures stick around. He estimates the first night or two there were 200 or so guests. That number has climbed to 300-350 guests.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued a cold weather advisory for the South Willamette Valley and much of western Oregon from Tuesday night at 10 p.m. through Wednesday at 10 a.m.
