Cots inside a warming site on Dec. 10, 2020. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
For the next 12 days, The ARCHES Project is opening a warming shelter at Seed of Faith ministries nightly so homeless people can have a place to sleep during the holidays.
Normally, the homeless service provider opens warming shelters when the temperature dips below 32 degrees.
This is the first time ARCHES is offering consecutive warming during the holidays from Dec. 13 to 26, said Laura Russo, shelter services program manager.
She said staff came to her and thought offering a warm place to sleep in the days leading up to Christmas would be a great idea.
“Holidays are a tough situation for a lot of folks anyway,” she said. “We just thought this would maybe give them a little bit of hope and raise their spirits some for many who have been unsheltered for so long.”
ARCHES will be transporting people from its day center to Seed of Faith, located at 853 Medical Center Dr., each night starting at 6 p.m.
Volunteers wishing to help can sign up at https://arches.volunteerhub.com.
-Saphara Harrell
