Following the completion of our permanent year-round shelter, WATTS would like to focus on Phase II of our vision, which is transitional housing. Shelters are an essential first step to ending homelessness, but without transitional housing to progress into, individuals can become stuck. We envision our own transitional housing which would be for guests who are employed and meeting certain criteria towards ending their homelessness, so as to create a full continuum of care from homelessness to housing.
Back to Future Plans
Future Plans: Phase 1
WATTS has been working for several years towards our goal of a permanent, year-round shelter that would allow us to better serve local men and women who are experiencing homelessness. Our current model of operation – our shelter being housed in a different local church each week of the winter from November through March – has worked beautifully for 15 years, but unfortunately, the need in our area continues to grow. We are so grateful for the generosity and kindness of our church partners who’ve opened their buildings to WATTS and our guests over the years, and for all the people who have been a part of making it happen! Our plan is to continue these partnerships with our churches going forward, with expanded opportunities for the community to help on a regular basis as well, all within the “hub” of our year-round facility.
First envisioned by WATTS’ inaugural and long-time Executive Director, the late Marion Schottelkorb, serious talks and fundraising efforts related to establishing a permanent location have been underway for almost a decade now. The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 on the homeless community and the implementation of our Transition Out of Homelessness program in 2021, further clarified our vision on the improved and expanded services we seek to offer. Continuity of care is vital – we’ve seen that, often, it takes longer than the 5 months of our shelter’s current operation to work through complex processes and systems to get a person out of homelessness. There are also many services and unique needs that our guests require in the meantime in order to care for their whole person (body, mind, and spirit) and empower them to be successful at breaking the cycle of homelessness.
Now in 2025, we are excited to have entered into the initial planning stages of realizing a tangible, year-round location. Check out these early drafts of the architectural drawings for the shelter we envision to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness in our community. Some of the highlights include:
- 50 low-barrier beds, each with a personal storage cubby/locker
- An area for 50 more beds during emergencies
- A day room for 90 people
- A commercial, full-service kitchen
- Laundry room for WATTS and guests’ needs
- 70 personal lockers (including for those who are not overnight guests)
- A clinic with exam room
- 4 isolation rooms (for contagious diseases or post-operative recovery)
- Kennels for animals
- A conference room and classroom
- Bathrooms and showers
- An outdoor area for guests to enjoy
WATTS Unveils New “Cooling Center” in Winchester to Help Homeless Beat the Heat
WATTS’ roots trace back to a tragic incident 2008 when a homeless man lost his life to the freezing Winchester winter. Faith-based leaders then congregated to conceive a solution that would prevent such incidents in the future. The answer lay in their unused church buildings, which were equipped with facilities like kitchens and bathrooms. This spark gave birth to WATTS in November 2009, with several churches offering their premises rotationally to house and feed the homeless during winter nights. The endeavor saw immense success due to the collective effort of the community. School bus drivers volunteered transport services, while others engaged in activities with the shelter guests or provided various services like haircuts and medical consultations. WATTS’ initial vision has endured and expanded over the years, with the organization now able to accommodate up to 35 guests every night during winter. However, the plight of the homeless community during summers was evident, thus leading to the inception of the Cooling Center.
Community members looking to lend a helping hand can volunteer at the Cooling Center. Tasks involve assisting managers with food and game sessions and ensuring guests’ comfort. For those concerned about time constraints, even a short duration of assistance is appreciated. It’s pertinent to note, however, that all volunteers should be above 18 years of age.
While the Cooling Center addresses an immediate need, WATTS has broader ambitions. Their mission, as articulated in October 2022, pivots towards breaking the cyclical nature of homelessness. By offering individuals the tools and resources needed to re-enter the workforce, WATTS envisions a future where everyone can be self-reliant and sheltered, regardless of circumstances.
For more information or to get involved, visit the WATTS website at watts-homelessshelter.org.
Via Royal Examiner.
Original article: https://royalexaminer.com/town-talk-watts-unveils-new-cooling-center-in-winchester-to-help-the-homeless-beat-the-heat/
WATTS walk to help Winchester area’s homeless population
It’s winter. You go outside, you get cold, you come inside, you get warm. Simple, right?
Not if you’re homeless. In the winter, many homeless people go out in the cold and stay there for hours, days, even weeks.
Area residents now have an opportunity to commiserate with the plight of the homeless while also making sure the area’s most disadvantaged residents always have a warm, safe place to go during the day or night. On Feb. 25, the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS) program is hosting its first Coldest Night of the Year Walk to support its year-round operations.
“It’s an international walk that raises funds for organizations that help the hurt, the hungry and the homeless,” WATTS Executive Director Robyn Miller said on Tuesday. “It also raises awareness that every place has a problem with homelessness. There’s always someone homeless somewhere.”
The Coldest Night of the Year Walk originated in 2011 in Toronto, Canada, and since then has raised more than $57 million to help the homeless populations of 166 Canadian communities. The event expanded into the United States last year, and WATTS will be participating in it for the first time next weekend.
“We’re very excited,” Miller said. “We’re closing in on 200 walkers. We would love to hit 300 because that’s when I need a police escort.”
Anyone who wants to join the walk, scheduled to step off at 5 p.m. Feb. 25, will have the option to choose a 2-kilometer or 5-kilometer route, both of which start at Braddock Street United Methodist Church at 115 Wolfe St. in Winchester. Participants are encouraged to line up financial sponsorships or donate money to help WATTS, but contributions are not required. However, anyone who raises $150 or more will receive a free Coldest Night of the Year beanie (or, as it’s called in Canada, toque).
“It’s open to everybody — children, families, businesses, whoever would like to come,” Miller said.
Children 12 and under must be accompanied on the walk by a parent or guardian, and the only pets that will be allowed are approved and trained service animals.
Along with raising money for WATTS, walk participants will learn what it’s like to be homeless in Winchester. Be prepared, though, because few things in life are more difficult than being displaced, desperate and disregarded.
“They have to walk all the time because they have no place to go,” Miller said, adding that the majority of stores and public buildings in Winchester do not want homeless people in or near their facilities.
In addition to being unwelcome, homeless people are often hungry and have no other option but to seek free meals from local churches or nonprofit agencies like Winchester Rescue Mission or the Salvation Army of Winchester. Coldest Night of the Year walkers will also get a free meal after completing the event, but don’t expect beef Wellington and risotto.
“It will end at Braddock Street United Methodist Church, where New Life Christian Church will be hosting a soup kitchen,” Miller said. “It will be a very simple meal of soup and bread.”
Miller said it’s important to feel compassion for the homeless.
“There are more homeless people out there than people realize,” she said. “You have the chronic homeless — people who have been homeless for a long time or the person holding a sign. You have the transitional — people that come in and out of homelessness. You have people that have had a traumatic event — a fire, a death in the family, a disability, a job loss — and can’t afford rent anymore. And then there are the hidden homeless — people who are living in their cars or a storage unit — who, if they lose their [living] arrangements, have no other place to go.
“You are probably standing next to somebody at [a store] who is homeless, and up to 30% of those people are children,” Miller said.
To register for the Coldest Night of the Year Walk or learn more about the event, visit watts-homelessshelter.org.
WATTS launched in 2009 as a means to convert local churches into temporary shelters that provide overnight accommodations for the homeless during the winter months. Each participating church offers free meals and a place to sleep for one week, then another church picks up the mantle the following week.
In 2020, WATTS added a daytime warming center where people can escape the cold, get snacks and water, use a restroom and have other basic needs met. That was followed in the summer of 2021 with the opening of a daytime cooling center that offered the same amenities during hot weather. Both centers are located at Market Street United Methodist Church at 131 S. Cameron St. in downtown Winchester.
WATTS also has a transition support team that formed in late 2021 and works year-round to help displaced people obtain birth certificates and identification, apply for jobs, submit forms for housing assistance, get information about drug and alcohol rehab programs and seek Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP benefits.
Via Winchester Star
Original article: https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/watts-walk-to-help-winchester-areas-homeless-population/article_30b96e15-6e7c-5c71-beb7-6aef5a6e218e.html
WATTS expands mission to help the homeless, unveils new logo
The Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS) organization has expanded its mission to further help people experiencing homelessness in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.
Via Winchester Star
Original article: https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/watts-expands-mission-to-help-the-homeless-unveils-new-logo/article_d0fc34fd-e42c-5521-95c3-cadc70e5e949.html