Frigid Temperatures Prompt Opening Of Daytime Warming Shelters
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WHEELING - Starting today, the Wheeling Salvation Army's lobby area will serve as a daytime warming shelter because of the frigid temperatures.
At least two other agencies in Wheeling will be providing some daytime warming center hours as well.
Lt. John Lawrence, commander of the Wheeling Salvation Army, 140 16th St., said the lobby will be open between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday to allow people to warm up. He noted this space will be available when the temperature dips below 32 degrees.
"It will continue to be available during the coldest parts of the day, on days when the temperature drops below the freezing mark," he said.
The Salvation Army's office was closed Monday due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Lawrence said the army's 35-bed emergency shelter currently has five remaining beds available at night. The shelter offers emergency beds for men. There are some rules for use of the emergency shelter. For example, one must pass a breath test for alcohol, must not be on a sex offender registry list and must have an ID.
If a person does not have an ID, if the Wheeling Area Coalition for the Homeless can ID them they can stay, he said.
Lawrence said there are no tests or ID rules for people to use the warming lobby.
"For anyone who needs to get warm it will be open," he said.
Lawrence said he would love to work with the new Life Hub winter shelter, 35 16th St., Wheeling, regarding helping people stay warm at night. For example, if they have men who qualify for the Salvation Army shelter they could be sent there to free up Life Hub beds for women, he noted.
Lawrence added there are two main reasons the Salvation Army emergency shelter does take men who are under the influence: one is safety and the other is to allow those who are trying to stay sober to not be subjected to those who are not.
"That would not be a healthy environment," he noted.
The Salvation Army's emergency overnight shelter operates from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. The Life Hub shelter operates from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.
Kate Marshall, facilitator of the House of Hagar and executive director of the Mother Jones House in East Wheeling, said the House of Hagar often has movie nights in the evenings to allow people to stay warm before the Life Hub shelter opens at night. However, because of the extra freezing weather, starting today Marshall and other volunteers plan to man the Life Hub during daytime hours - from 5:30-8 p.m. Then starting at 8 p.m. the Life Hub will operate as the usual overnight shelter for people.
Marshall believes a couple other social service agencies in Wheeling also plan to extend their daytime hours to help keep people warm.
"We've already had people with frostbite from the previous cold temperatures," she said. "Come Wednesday, if that ban still stays in place without a suspension (on the camping ban) there could be deaths."
Marshall was referring to the city of Wheeling's legislation banning camping in public places. Many advocates and social service agencies have called on the city to stop the ban until a managed camp is put in place. The ACLU recently warned in a letter to the city that it would be sued if it enforces its ban, calling it unconstitutional.
"We're not capable of sheltering everybody. We're already having a hard time filling these gaps. If you take away the tents people are in a real big pickle," she said.
Derek Lantz, coordinator of the Catholic Charities 18th Street Neighborhood Center in Wheeling, said the center is expanding its Monday-Friday hours until 5:30 p.m. to help provide people a warm place to be until they can go to Life Hub's daytime warming shelter.
On Saturdays, instead of closing at 12:30 p.m. the center will stay open until 5:30 p.m.
"On Sundays we will be coming in to fill the gap because from 1-3 p.m. there’s nowhere for them to go. So we are coming in for those hours as well," he said.
Meanwhile, the Salvation Army is always accepting donations of food that is given out at its pantries in Wheeling and in Moundsville. Donations for the Life Hub can be taken to the Wheeling Housing Authority's main office between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Monetary donations can be made on the Life Hub's website at https://lifehubwv.org/.