Future Plans: Phase 2

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

 

Back to Future Plans

Local businessman pledges matching donation toward new shelter

J.J. Smith, at center, has pledged $50,000 for every $100,000 raised by organizers of the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS) program to help finance a permanent home. He recently made his first donation to the program. At left is Robyn Miller, interim executive director of WATTS. At right is Laurel Coleman, president of WATTS. Photo by Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Local businessman J.J. Smith recently donated $50,000 to the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS) to help the nonprofit program raise money for a permanent shelter.
Smith, the president and CEO of Valley Proteins, told WATTS he would give them $50,000 for every $100,000 the group raises toward establishing a permanent shelter, up to $200,000. WATTS received its first $50,000 check from Smith on Jan. 31.

“It’s an extraordinary blessing for WATTS to realize what he is committing to us,” said Laurel Coleman, president of the WATTS board of directors. “We are just so eternally grateful for his generosity.”

Started in 2009, WATTS provides up to 35 homeless adults with overnight shelter for a 20-week period from November to March. WATTS participants are served a hot dinner, breakfast and the option of a bagged lunch. Area churches and other groups take turns hosting the program for one week at a time. The current session ends March 28.

Coleman said that Smith reached out to her after longtime WATTS leader Marion Schottelkorb died in July. WATTS is trying to fulfill Schottelkorb’s vision of establishing a permanent shelter that can hold more people.
“I know the churches were going together and taking their turns in providing shelter in the winter,” Smith said. “And I think we as a community need a more permanent option. So I figured I could and I wanted to help with the fundraising.”

Coleman said WATTS was able to raise $100,000 through donations and several fundraising events.
WATTS Interim Executive Director Robyn Miller said the cost of a permanent shelter has not yet been determined since WATTS still needs to determine if it will need to purchase land and construct a new building or renovate an existing building.

“There are too many variables at this point,” she said. 

Coleman said that the WATTS board of directors is currently exploring all options for the new shelter and wants to ensure it has the finances to complete the project.

“Our thought is we want to make sure once we start down the path, we can go forward,” Coleman said. “We want to be able to utilize the funds properly and know that we have a significant amount to where there isn’t going to be a roadblock for us. Once we start, we want to see it through completion.”

Donations for WATTS can be made at PO Box 2936 Winchester, VA 22604 or online at watts-homelessshelter.org. For more information about WATTS contact call 540-327-5431 or email execdirector@watts-homelessshelter.org.

— Contact Josh Janney at jjanney@winchesterstar.com
Click here for the original article.