Greetings People of Messiah,
It's WINTER, and it's cold outside! Our congregation committed to help support the Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO) program in Vancouver over 20 years ago. WHO is an overflow shelter providing additional capacity for individuals and families in our community who are currently experiencing homelessness and need to get in from the outside on any given night during the coldest months, from November 1 to March 31. The WHO operates a shelter for 45 women and families at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, as well as a shelter for 25 men at St. Paul Lutheran Church. The WHO is an interfaith and community-supported program where guests are offered a warm place to sleep, a hot shower, a meal, and the welcome and warmth of a caring community working to address the most basic human needs. Volunteers are critical to the program. Information follows about how to volunteer.
Family Shelter at St. Andrew Lutheran Church (Orchards area):Volunteers extending hospitality to people facing extreme challenges is foundational to the program, and it continues to be the most valuable contribution that volunteers like yourself bring to the women, children, and families that stay at St. Andrew overnight.
Volunteer responsibilities vary depending on the day and time of shift. All volunteer shifts require a background check. Currently, we have two shifts and meal opportunities:
●6:15 – 8:30 am:(2-4) volunteers are needed to assist guests in the kitchen, hand out brown bag lunches, and clean up after the morning meal.
●6:30 – 9 pm: (3-4) Volunteers are needed to welcome guests for the evening, serve the evening meal, prepare brown bag lunches, prep for laundry service, and collaborate with the Share Engagement Specialist.
●Mondays and Thursdays: On these two days, we have laundry responsibilities and break down/reset the gym, which requires extra volunteers.
●Each evening, we need (2) crock pot-size meals [15-20 servings].Delivery is between 6 and 6:15 pm to St Andrew. There is a bell to the right of the front door to alert staff you are there. You can pick up crockpots Monday through Thursday, 9 am – 1 pm, or any evening after 6 pm. Guests also appreciate fresh fruit – nothing too crunchy, as dental care is not widely available. Also, microwavable breakfast sandwiches are a great treat. In general, anything extra is always greatly appreciated.
Resources:
- WHO Program Volunteer Application & Background Check: The Background check request form must be filled out and given to the WHO team leader of your church – unless you are a volunteer unassociated with a particular church. In this case, please send the background check to the email address located at the bottom of the form. Background checks must be renewed every two years. Read our WHO Background Check Protocol.
- Confidentiality Agreement: A confidentiality agreement must be submitted and kept on file each year. The form can be filled out onsite before your volunteer shift.
- Host Manuals:
●St. Andrew WHO Training Manual 2024
●St. Andrew WHO Site Checklists:
●St. Andrew AM Checklist
●Hospitality Room AM Shift Suggested Schedule
●Evening Shift Duties
●Hospitality Room PM Shift Suggested Schedule
●Laundry
Provide a meal to St Paul Lutheran Church (another way to volunteer):
Dinner and weekend mid-day meals for 25 residents and staff (29 people) at Outsiders Inn at St Paul are scheduled using software called 'MealTrain'. St Paul Men's Shelter does not have a stove so meals need to be delivered warm and ready to serve.
●Signing up to bring a meal involves handing the meal over to staff, and then departing without entering the shelter (for a total of not more than 10 minutes at the door.)
●If you are interested in delivering AND SERVING the meal, please indicate this in the 'Notes' when you sign up; allow up to 1-1/2 hours to be on-site, and let the staff person who receives your food know that you hope to 'come in and serve' the meal.
Detailed information about dates needed, delivery, and a peek at what other people are serving can be found on the MealTrain sign-up, https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/04435v
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Winter Hospitality Overflow Program. Financial contributions are always welcome as well as volunteer support. Messiah Lutheran's Endowment Fund has been a regular contributor in supporting our congregation's commitment to WHO. If you would like to make a financial contribution, it is easy to do at: whoprogram.org. Just click on the big green box at the upper right of the home screen, and it will direct you through an easy process.
Please feel free to contact Brenda Gardner at 360-601-9258 if you need assistance donating, completing the background check form, signing up to volunteer or signing up to provide a meal at St. Andrew or St. Paul.
-Winter Hospitality Overflow
