“Out of the Cold”

Severe Weather Emergency Shelter Program

Mission Statement

To provide safe, warm, and welcoming shelter during extreme weather to people who have no place else to come in from the cold.

San Juan Island has an urgent need. As you know, while we don’t have a full count yet, our homeless population has increased in previous years, with as many as ten or more people living in cars and in the woods on San Juan alone, and the numbers are on the rise. San Juan Island’s faith-based groups and other community stakeholders are leading an initiative to establish a severe weather shelter on San Juan Island.

The purpose of the shelter to house our island homeless during the coldest nights of winter, when the temperature drops below 30 degrees F. There will be separate spaces for men and women/women and children. The Grange and SJI Family Resource Center have offered space, with details yet to be worked out. We are modeling our shelter after Orcas’ program success and best practices. We want to be up and running by November 20 and will announce our blanket drive and open house for volunteers next week.

This island-wide, collaborative project is run by a Steering Committee that includes pastors and representatives of our churches, social services, United Way of San Juan County, San Juan County Affordable Housing, Friday Harbor Food Bank, Washington Vocational Services, Senior Services, Compass Health, and others. Based on Orcas’ experience, the group estimates the number nights in the average winter in the San Juans to be approximately 18 nights in which we may have 30 degree F or lower temperatures. People in situations of homelessness will make use of the shelter: including men, women, and children.

We need to raise $12,000 by November 20th for supplies and staffing for the winter. Donated funds will be used to pay a part-time Shelter Coordinator to coordinate schedules and four paid staff to take some of the night shifts at two shelters. Volunteers will staff the other shifts and some night shifts. Please consider volunteering!

But most important right now, the shelter needs your financial support. To donate, please go to the United Way SJC website, unitedwaysjc.com or send a check to:

United Way of San Juan County
P.O. Box 3181
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Be sure to designate “for shelter” on your check or in the comment section on the website donation page. United Way SJC will pass 100 percent of funds raised through this campaign directly to shelter expenses.

If you would like to be on our volunteer list, please email us at unitedwaysjc.com or call us at 360-378-2141. We need no less than a pool of 40 volunteers! We will be holding an open house for volunteers to discuss details in November.

Our community can make all the difference. Operating the severe weather shelters is only possible because of Islanders’ compassion for individuals and families whose life circumstances have found them without a place to call home. The Severe Weather Shelter Steering Committee sincerely appreciates all that the community is doing to support this important program.

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