Homeless task force looking for building

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Homeless Task Force members are spending the summer looking for a place to set up when winter returns.

The task force set up a “warming center” last winter, which was open during January and February and was staffed by volunteers, said Stephanie Dowland of the task force. For 2016-17 the task force is looking for a building to rent as a warming center in Moses Lake, or there’s the possibility of a homeless shelter in Ephrata, said chair Sheila Chilson.

The task force is working with the Lazarus Project in Ephrata, which is trying to open a shelter at the Civil Air Patrol building at the Ephrata Airport. “This would be a full homeless shelter. People would be able to sleep, shower and have a meal,” Chilson said.

The drawback to that plan, Chilson said, is getting people to the shelter if they don’t spend most of their time in Ephrata. “The task force is going to talk through that this summer – is there a way for us to partner with somebody to help these individuals get to Ephrata?”

The other option would be a warming center in Moses Lake, she said. But currently the task force has no location in Moses Lake, and would be looking for volunteers to help operate it.

For a Moses Lake project, “we’re looking for a building and we’re needing money,” Chilson said.

“Ultimately, we want to provide a shelter in Moses Lake,” Chilson said. “But that’s a long-term goal.” Currently the task force is focusing on finding a facility for next winter.

Task force members are looking for a building in Moses Lake, hopefully at a reduced rent, with bathrooms for men and women and a stove, sink and refrigerator.

In Moses Lake or Ephrata, the goal is to be open from the beginning of December to the end of February, Chilson said.

The warming center, opened last winter at 410 West Third St. (the former location of the Boys and Girls Club in downtown Moses Lake) and was staffed by volunteers, according to information from the task force. Volunteers from the Moses Lake LDS Church provided all the on-site supervision. Volunteers from St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and the task force did the cleaning. Each week a different church volunteered to provide soup and other supplies. Serve Moses Lake and the task force provided blankets, coats and hygiene packs.

Along with offering a place for homeless people to get out of the cold, the center was designed as a trial run. “This warming center was kind of our pilot project,” Dowland said. “We learned a lot.”

According to task force statistics, 166 people used the warming shelter, averaging about 16 people per night. Of the 166 people, 125 were men and 33 were women. Some people declined to give their age, but of those who did, 93 were between 18 and 40 years of age. “We were really surprised at the general good nature and cooperation we had from everybody that came to stay,” Dowland said.

Task force members wanted to provide people who used the warming center with help in getting services, Dowland said, but that didn’t work out so well. Chilson said that’s one reason the task force wants to hire a full time manager for its homeless program. People are more likely to seek services if they’re working with someone they know and trust, she said. “It’s all about building a trusting relationship and that takes time.”

The task force is partnering with the Columbia Basin Foundation; people who want to donate to the task force can do it through the foundation. Chilson said people who want more information or who want to donate can contact her, 509-771-2361.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.