WATTS, Author at WATTS

WATTS “Cooling Center” in Winchester to Help Homeless Beat the Heat

A photo of a woman and man sitting at a table talking for a radio show.

On this episode of Town Talk, publisher Mike McCool speaks with Robyn Miller, Executive Director of the Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter, commonly known as WATTS.

To tackle the challenges faced by the homeless community during the intense summer heat, the Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter (WATTS) has opened a “Cooling Center.” This initiative provides a safe, air-conditioned haven for those seeking a momentary escape from the scorching temperatures. Located at Market Street United Methodist Church on 131 S. Cameron Street, the center is operational every day from noon to 5 pm. The only exception is Thursdays when the center opens an hour earlier at 11 am and closes at 4 pm. Beyond a cooler environment, the center also offers snacks, refreshing drinks, and occasional lunches, thanks to the dedication of local volunteers. Robyn shed light on the establishment’s history and motivation for the Cooling Center.

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 ‘CNOY’ walk to help Winchester area’s homeless

A photo of a woman and daughter dressed warm, walking away from the camera on a downtown pedestrian mall lined with bricks and historic buildings.

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 (CNOY) 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.

— Contact Brian Brehm at bbrehm@winchesterstar.com

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

A photo of a woman standing posed in a church kitchen.

Robyn Miller, executive director of the Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter, stands inside the kitchen at Market Street United Methodist Church in Winchester, where WATTS offers a daytime warming center for homeless people. The nonprofit will host a Coldest Night of the Year Walk on Feb. 25, 2023 to support its year-round efforts to feed, shelter and support the displaced.

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.

At its annual fundraising dinner on Saturday, the nonprofit revealed its new mission statement:

“WATTS’s mission is to break the cycle of homelessness one life at a time. We empower individuals to re-enter the workforce and connect individuals to the resources needed to be as self-sufficient as possible while providing a safe temporary shelter during extreme weather.”

Along with the new mission statement comes a new logo. The previous image of a person being sheltered by a pair of hands has been updated to include more color and to show those hands holding a heart.

WATTS Executive Director Robyn Miller said the changes were made to reflect how the Winchester-based organization has grown from offering overnight shelter during the winter months to becoming a year-round operation with services to help homeless individuals find jobs and permanent housing.

“We’re trying to give them as many options as possible to find help out of homelessness,” Miller said. “There are so many barriers preventing them from being housed and making them successful once they’re in housing.”

WATTS’s most recent addition is a three-person transition support staff that formed in late 2021 to work year-round helping 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.

“We have a guest that we just helped get into housing,” Miller said. “And we keep checking on him because it’s really difficult to go from homeless to housing and stay there and be successful.”

Miller said the issues that lead to people becoming homeless, such as mental health challenges, don’t go away once they get a house or apartment. That’s why WATTS’s transition team offers ongoing support to newly housed individuals until they’re able to be completely independent.

“Sometimes it’s super simple, like getting somebody a pair of ear buds so they can stay calm and stay inside,” Miller said. “And sometimes it’s really complex. We have a guest that’s been in hospice care for eight months and we stay with him and support him to make sure he is housed, safe and getting the emotional and spiritual support he needs until the end.”

Even as it expands its services, WATTS remains committed to providing temporary overnight shelter during cold-weather months. Accommodations will be offered Nov. 6 through March 13 at more than a dozen churches in Winchester and Frederick County, starting with Welltown United Methodist Church at 1444 Welltown Road in Clear Brook. A complete operating schedule is available at https://bit.ly/3CxEXyk, and Miller said the weekly shelters are expected to remain open 24 hours a day starting the week of Nov. 28.

The next goal, Miller said, is to open a permanent daytime facility that’s available year-round to individuals experiencing homelessness.

“It would give us a wonderful place for our transition support staff to meet with people,” she said. “We would like to have showers, washers and dryers.”

Miller said she would also like the facility to include a room where homeless clients with overnight jobs can sleep during the day. Overnight shifts generally pay more than those during the daytime, she said, but WATTS clients are often unable to work those hours because Winchester has no daytime shelters where they can sleep when their shift ends.

“It takes a lot of money,” Miller said about opening a permanent daytime facility.

On Saturday, WATTS raised an estimated $50,000 to $60,000 at its annual fundraising dinner, “An Evening of Caring and Sharing,” at Bowling Green Country Club North near Front Royal. Miller said the final tally of donations has not yet been calculated.

The dinner also gave Miller and the WATTS board of directors an opportunity to honor the businesses and volunteers whose support makes it possible for the organization to care for the homeless in Winchester, Frederick County and Clarke County:

The Marion Schottelkorb Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Steven Cunningham, who serves as lead volunteer for at least one shelter week per season and continuously recruits area businesses to donate food, haircuts and other services.
The David Witt Board Member of the Year award went to John Conrad, the nonprofit’s longtime treasurer whose guidance and oversight of expenditures helped WATTS save enough money to open its cooling and warming centers.
The Community Partner of the Year award was given to Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury, a retirement community in Winchester that has washed the laundry for guests of the cold-weather shelters since the first one opened in 2009. Miller said the laundry services provided by Westminster-Canterbury are valued at approximately $6,000 for each five-month shelter season.

Miller also praised her entire board of directors, which she said is comprised of the hardest working, most dedicated people she has ever worked with.

“They genuinely care about the homeless people in our area and their effect on the community as a whole,” she said. “I feel so fortunate because I know not everybody has a board like that.”

To learn more about WATTS and its initiatives to help area residents escape homelessness, visit watts-homelessshelter.org.

— Contact Brian Brehm at bbrehm@winchesterstar.com

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

Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter Executive Director Robyn Miller (left) poses Saturday with Steven Cunningham, winner of the WATTS Volunteer of the Year award. WATTS, which formed in 2009, has grown from an organization that provides temporary overnight shelter each winter to one that offers a variety of year-round services to the homeless. Courtesy photo

City refining first-ever rules for homeless shelters

City officials are hammering out regulations to govern the location and operation of homeless shelters in Winchester.

The Winchester Planning Commission is expected to issue a recommendation on the proposed regulations during its monthly business meeting on Nov. 16, then forward the matter to City Council for further discussion and a final vote.

During a Planning Commission work session on Tuesday, members reviewed the proposed rules that have been in the works since August, when Winchester realized it had nothing on the books to say where, how and why homeless shelters could be established within the city.

Currently, the only year-round homeless shelters in the city are operated by the Winchester Rescue Mission at 435 N. Cameron St., which was grandfathered in because it existed before city officials established Commercial Industrial (CM-1) zoning at that location. Temporary shelters also exist — mostly notably the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS) that operates during winter months — but Zoning Administrator Alfredo Velasquez said those facilities are either deemed accessory uses for churches or treated as temporary facilities that only operate during extreme circumstances like freezing weather, natural disasters and public health crises.

When the Winchester Rescue Mission approached Rouss City Hall in August with plans to open another year-round homeless shelter at 2655 Valley Ave., city officials first tried to shoehorn the request into a conditional-use permit (CUP) that would allow multi-family housing at that location in a Highway Commercial (B-2) zoning district. When that approach proved to be problematic, the mission’s executive director, Brandan Thomas, withdrew the CUP request and agreed to give the city enough time to create policy for homeless shelters.

According to the draft proposal presented to the Planning Commission, homeless shelters — or humanitarian shelters, as they are referred to in the documentation — would only be allowed by right in Winchester’s Health Services (HS) and Medical Center (MC) zoning districts. They would also be allowed with City Council’s issuance of a CUP in the city’s B-2, CM-1, Residential Business (RB-1), Central Business (B1) and Education, Institution and Public Use (EIP) zoning districts. These rules would apply to both permanent shelters, such as the one operated by Winchester Rescue Mission, and temporary thermal shelters, such as the one operated each winter by WATTS.

In the event of a declared state of emergency, temporary shelters could be opened in any of Winchester’s zoning districts with the authorization of the city manager. Those shelters would be required to close within seven days of the state of emergency being lifted.

An earlier draft of the proposed regulations stated that only government agencies and nonprofit organizations could apply to operate a homeless shelter, Winchester Program Manager Patrick Elwell said, “but from our city attorney’s counsel, we just decided to strike that provision entirely.” As a result, anyone could apply to operate a shelter.

All shelters, regardless of whether they are year-round or temporary, would have to comply with a lengthy list of operational requirements including:

They cannot be permanent residences.

Facilities must be staffed whenever residents are on the premises.

Mental health, parenting, life skills and employment counseling can be offered on site.

Pharmaceutical-based treatments for substance abuse are prohibited.

Alcohol, recreational cannabis and illegal substances cannot be consumed on site, but medical cannabis use is allowed with a doctor’s prescription.

They cannot charge guests for any services provided by the shelter.

They must be located within 500 feet of public transportation, such as a WinTran bus stop.

They must maintain a record of guests for at least two years.

Planning Commission member Leesa Mayfield balked at the requirement to collect the names of guests.

“For a poor, homeless person, it can be very difficult to carry identification,” Mayfield said.

Elwell and City Manager Dan Hoffman said guests would only have to give their name; no one would be asked to provide photo ID or a Social Security number. Hoffman said keeping a record of everyone who stays at a shelter is “something the Police Department relies on in case there’s an investigation.”

If the Planning Commission is comfortable with the proposed regulations, it will forward them to the City Council for final approval. If nothing delays the process, the rules could be in place as early as mid-December.

Once the regulations are established, Thomas plans to reintroduce his request to open a new shelter in a vacant, 11,522-square-foot building at 2655 Valley Ave. that formerly served as a loan company, various restaurants and a comedy club. His goal is to have it open by the time this winter’s WATTS program closes for the season in mid-March.

Attending Tuesday’s Planning Commission work session in Rouss City Hall were Vice Chairwoman Lacey Burnett and members Brandon Pifer, Paul Richardson, Leesa Mayfield and David Ray. Chairman Mark Loring and Commissioner John Tagnesi were absent.

By Brian Brehm The Winchester Star

Via The Winchester Star

Original article: https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/city-refining-first-ever-rules-for-homeless-shelters/article_8f29cad3-0328-5d18-95ce-4c0900ea118c.html

WATTS to open daytime Cooling Center

As a heat wave bakes the region, the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS) plans to open a daytime Cooling Center next week.

“It’s really just a place for people to come inside, cool off, get a drink or a snack and charge their phones,” WATTS Executive Director Robyn Miller said. “It’ll be very similar to our Warming Center [from the winter.] They can come and go at will. It’s really just a place that gives them a break from the hottest part of the day.”

The center will be open from Aug. 2 to Oct. 31 at Market Street United Methodist Church, 131 S. Cameron St., Winchester. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with the exception of a 4:30 p.m. closing time on Thursday for Market Street’s weekly community meal.

Miller said this will be the first time that WATTS has opened a Cooling Center. In December 2020, the Winchester-based nonprofit organization opened its first daytime Warming Center at the church, which she said was a “huge success.” The Warming Center was in addition to the overnight shelter that WATTS provides to those in need from November to March.

The success of the Warming Center last winter prompted the decision to open a Cooling Center this summer.

“We had guests that don’t normally come into the evening/overnight shelter come into that Warming Center, and it worked out better than I could have ever imagined,” Miller said. “I wanted to be able to keep extending our services as best we can.”

She said Market Street United Methodist Church was “more than willing” to serve as the Cooling Center’s home.

The closure of some local motels as well as Virginia’s recent decision to stop accepting new patients at five state mental hospitals has presented the homeless population with more challenges.

Miller said there are many obstacles for those working to change their living situation, but the biggest one locally might be the lack of affordable housing.

“I have eight guests that have more than enough money to afford a home, but there’s no place for them to go at all,” Miller said. “I don’t mean they have a little bit to pay. They have $800 to 900 a month. There’s no place that can take them, or if there is a place it’s way out in the county with no way for them to get to work. It’s difficult.”

WATTS, which was established in 2009, will begin its normal overnight shelter season on Nov. 6. A daytime Warming Center is expected to be available again as well.

The Cooling Center is in need of bottled water, sodas, iced tea and snacks. Donations may be dropped off at the Center from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by contacting Miller at execdirector@watts-homelessshelter.org or 540-514-7218 to make other arrangements.

Via Winchester Star

Original article: https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/watts-to-open-cooling-center-aug-2/article_b7a0f7ec-050f-5ce8-8d25-8ca6eaf36ecb.html

Homelessness is a problem locally

The WATTS program is driven by our mission to offer a safe haven for homeless and at-risk individuals in the Winchester, VA region during the cold weather months. Direct program support for WATTS is dependent on the generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations, churches, and civic groups. WATTS is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions are tax-deductible.

Become a good neighbor in the truest sense by helping WATTS provide shelter to the neediest of our neighbors.

WATTS starting new daytime homeless program

The homeless will soon have a place to go during the daytime to get out of the cold.

During the winter months, many of the community’s homeless have found refuge each night through services provided by the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter. But each morning, WATTS guests must find a place to wait until the nighttime shelter opens again.

Handley Library was a popular place to go, but because of the coronavirus pandemic the library is limiting patrons to one-hour visits.

“Right now, our homeless have no place to go,” said WATTS Executive Director Robyn Miller on Monday.

Now WATTS plans to open a “warming” center during the day. The homeless can stay dry and warm during the day and have a place to use the bathroom.

The Warming Center will be held at Market Street United Methodist Church on the corner of Cameron and Cork streets. Coffee and bottled water will be provided, but because WATTS will not have access to a kitchen no food will be provided.

This program is separate from the nighttime program, which is being held at First United Methodist Church on Braddock Street this year.

Daytime guests are welcome to come and go as they wish. Miller said the the church’s Fellowship Hall can hold up to 35 people at a time.

The first day of the new center will be Thursday when the forecast calls for rain. Miller doesn’t know when WATTS will be able to open the center on a full-time basis. She needs to hire staff first. Two people will need to be on duty every time the center is open.

The aim is to have the shelter open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7 a.m. until noon on Sundays.

The Warming Center will close March 28, the same day the WATTS nighttime program will end for the season.

If you are interested in working at the new daytime center in a paid position, call Miller at 540-514-7218. WATTS can also use donations of coffee and water for its daytime guests. Financial donations are always welcome.

“Our expenses are increasing astronomically this year,” Miller said.

Via Winchester Star

Original article: https://www.winchesterstar.com/news/frederick_county/watts-starting-new-daytime-homeless-program/article_406a88d7-8966-5a1d-b66e-d4cd2f7b2eb7.html

Crisis Averted – WATTS ready to shelter the homeless amid pandemic

WINCHESTER — When winter rolls into the Northern Shenandoah Valley, the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter ( WATTS) can be the difference between life and death.

Each year, the nonprofit WATTS organization partners with area churches to offer overnight shelter for homeless people who would otherwise be sleeping on the streets in frigid temperatures. COVID-19 nearly shelved the program this year, though, because none of the participating churches could offer a large enough space for up to 35 homeless clients to get a good night’s sleep while remaining socially distanced.

At the last second, serendipity intervened.

The board and clergy of First United Methodist Church in downtown Winchester happened to have an empty building available, and it happened to be big enough to accommodate 35 guests plus an assortment of volunteers. That means WATTS will open on time for its 2020-21 winter season, which begins on Nov. 7.

“If this hadn’t come through, we would have been in trouble,” WATTS Executive Director Robyn Miller said on Monday.

Here’s how it happened.

Last October, First United Methodist Church decided to sell its building at 308 N. Braddock St. and build a new worship facility on 16.2 acres it owns at 362 Apple Pie Ridge Road in Frederick County.

The final church service at the Braddock Street location was held on March 1. Since then, First United Methodist officials have been waiting for someone to buy the building, which is listed for sale for $1,545,595. Proceeds will be used to build a new church on Apple Pie Ridge Road. Until then, the congregation has been holding worship services online and, when the weather cooperates, in an outdoor picnic shelter.

Meanwhile, WATTS was beginning to fear it would not be able to offer a full-size shelter, or perhaps any shelter at all this winter.

Then First United Methodist Church Pastor Sean Devolites called Miller with an offer she couldn’t refuse.

No buyer of the former church building had yet come forward, Devolites said, and the large social hall in its basement was mostly empty, so WATTS was welcome to use the facility until its sheltering season ends on March 27 or the property is sold, whichever comes first.

“Everyone knows where First United Methodist is, so it will be easy for them to find,” Miller said.

She said her top priority is keeping WATTS clients and volunteers healthy, so everyone will have their temperatures checked and be asked a series of wellness questions each time they arrive at the shelter.

“If they have a temperature and answer yes to any of those questions, they’ll be sent to Valley Health,” Miller said. “We also have a sick room we can put them in for the night to make sure everything’s OK.”

The shelter will operate every day from 7 p. m. to 7 a. m. beginning Nov. 7. Clients will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

During the days, Miller said WATTS volunteers and guests will thoroughly clean and sanitize the First United Methodist shelter to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Normally, WATTS rotates shelter locations among its partner churches from week to week. Not only does that require a lot of tear- down, moving and setup, it also means buses must be contracted to drive homeless people to any churches that are not within walking distance of Old Town.

“The churches we would have gone to are still participating. They’ll just be hosting out of this location,” Miller said. “It’s nice to have one spot.”

The First United Methodist social hall is ideal. Not only is it big enough for the full- size WATTS program, it also negates the need for commuter buses and is connected to a commercial-grade kitchen where volunteers can prepare breakfast and dinner for the WATTS clients each day. There are bathrooms throughout the building, and a special trailer will be brought in so guests can shower.

Miller said she is currently working with Winchester Rescue Mission to find a site for a permanent shelter.

“We’re looking for a location that we can hopefully have a day and night shelter together in one spot,” she said. “That would allow us to extend our season.”

Meanwhile, First United Methodist is proceeding with efforts to sell its property. If a buyer steps up and wants WATTS to leave before its season ends on March 27, the nonprofit will have to go, and Miller said she’s not sure where the shelter could end up.

“We’ll help as long as we can,” Devolites said. “We’re really excited to work together.”

To learn more about WATTS or to volunteer to assist at its shelter this season, visit watts-homelessshelter.org.

Contact Brian Brehm at bbrehm@winchesterstar.com

Click here for the original Winchester Star Article.

WATTS Receives Grant From United Way NSV

WATTS is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley. These funds will support the safe, reliable transportation to and from warm, safe, overnight cold weather shelter.

WATTS has received a grant to support safe, reliable bus transportation to homeless guests to temporary shelter locations that are beyond walking distance from Winchester’s downtown. In the 2020-2021 shelter season, WATTS will provide transportation in the evening and morning to 14 shelters between our bus stop in downtown Winchester and shelters operated by our hosts in Frederick and Clarke Counties and the City of Winchester. Providing transportation allows WATTS to partner with host organizations outside downtown Winchester, thereby extending the number of weeks during the cold weather WATTS is able to provide shelter and respite for homeless people in our community.

“WATTS is eternally grateful for the support we received from the United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley. This funding will allow WATTS to continue providing reliable transportation of our homeless guests.” stated Laurel Coleman, President of WATTS, “COVID-19 has impacted WATTS and our ability to fundraise, therefore, this grant is especially appreciated during these uncertain times. God Bless the United Way!”

United Way NSV awards annual grants through a competitive application and Fund Distribution review process that is entirely completely by community volunteers. This year volunteers reviewed funding applications, undertook site visits and recommended grant funding to focus on priority human care needs as defined by United Way’s Community Needs Assessment.

About United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley: Since 1946 the United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley has worked to impact the community human care needs that matter most to the people of Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah Counties and the City of Winchester. United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley convenes the people and organizations necessary to create solutions to our region’s most pressing challenges and collaborates with effective partners. United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley seeks to serve as the catalyst for community change by supporting over 42 partner agencies in the areas of Financial Stability, Health and Education. For more information visit our website www.unitedwaynsv.org. Follow us on Twitter @UWNSV.

Robyn Miller – WATTS, Executive Director
execdirector@watts-homelessshelter.org
540-514-7128

Winchester, Virginia (5/20/2020)

WATTS extends its season

Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS) was originally slated to end its 20-week season on March 28, but it will stay in operation through April 4.

The extension was made because WATTS organizers were worried their guests wouldn’t have anywhere to go amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Thanks to Braddock Street United Methodist Church in Winchester, WATTS will stay open another week, from March 28-April 4, said WATTS Interim Executive Director Robyn Miller.

Started in 2009, the nonprofit program provides homeless adults with overnight shelter for a 20-week period from November to March. Area churches and other groups take turns hosting the program for one week at a time.

Miller said WATTS isn’t able to extend the current season beyond April 4 because the group doesn’t have enough staff, money or a location to do so.

“I’m having a hard time finding a location someone will give me,” Miller said. “But even if I had the location, I don’t have enough staff to man it, and I don’t have enough money to hire more staff. So that’s really what’s hindering us. And I’m losing volunteers, too. And I understand why people might be hesitant to come in and volunteer at this time, even though our guests are very healthy. But people don’t want to leave their home and I understand.”

She added that WATTS clients are worried where they will go when WATTS ends.

“They are very concerned,” Miller said. “Because they don’t even have a place to go to the bathroom. The restaurants are closed. The library is closed. They will literally be outside 24 hours a day.”

Gov. Ralph Northam has ordered a 10-person limit on gatherings at places like restaurants and gyms as result of the coronavirus.

Miller hopes that other nonprofit groups like the Salvation Army will be able to continue serving meals.

Winchester Salvation Army Capt. Kelly Durant said the shelter at 300 Fort Collier Road, which has 48 beds, is at capacity.

Although the Salvation Army normally invites people into its dining area for breakfast, lunch and dinner, meals are mostly being limited to people living at the shelter as a result of the virus. However, it will provide take-out food, if requested.

Durant said in an email that the Salvation Army is struggling to figure out how it will have enough food to give out in response to the coronavirus pandemic, noting that many people will soon find themselves unemployed because so many businesses are closed or have curtailed operations.

The Salvation Army’s shelter and its Thrift Store at 320 Weems Lane are disinfecting surfaces every hour. The store has reduced its hours from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and its staff is down to three people. About half of the workers are taking personal or sick days so they are not potentially exposed to the virus.

“Please spread the word we desperately need donations to not go under financially,” he said. “We are in a very serious financial situation, but we will not stop serving others in need. A check to us here, or a donation at the store, there are many ways in which everyone can help. At this moment we are getting zero FEMA funds as this is not a disaster per se, so we are having to re-adjust how to serve current needs and future ones.”

Via Winchester Star

Original article: https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/watts-extends-its-season-by-one-week/article_7d7eb6da-0eae-50d6-9398-2c01f6cf8cb0.html