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Union Gospel Mission’s extra winter beds go away Monday

Beds at Union Gospel Mission, pictured earlier this month. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter)

There will be fewer beds available at Union Gospel Mission starting next week as the weather begins to warm.

The 150-bed Men’s Mission adds another 48 beds from Oct. 1 through March 31, the nonprofit’s leaders said, and staff have been working in recent weeks to find other places for the men to stay.

“We coordinate. We start with Salvation Army and some of the agencies that have limited shelter,” said Executive Director Dan Clem. “We put the word out through the faith community and we just work with each guy. Each guy’s needs are different.”

Clem added the shelter has been full most nights in the fall and winter.

“We probably had a dozen nights when we weren’t full, when the weather was unseasonably warm or dry, but we’re full the rest of the time,” he said.

The added beds are allowed by Salem Fire Department, stemming from an agreement put in place two years ago. Assistant Fire Chief Greg Hadley said the added beds reduce the kinds of incidents the fire department sees from the homeless during the cold season.

“We end up with more weather-related responses, whether it’s really cold and someone is out in the elements, or they are putting a wood stove inside a tent, for example,” he said.

The mission used to regularly shelter 200 people, according to Clem, but the fire department recently lowered that to 100 people until the mission upgraded its fire alarms, fixed its electrical wiring and took other fire prevention measures. The mission has done so, Clem said, and can now shelter 150.

Besides the mission’s beds, warming shelters organized by the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency opened 42 nights and sheltered 3,958 people during the winter, according to a recent update from City Manager Steve Powers.

Although Union Gospel Mission’s beds decrease on Monday, Clem added the mission’s services continue to be in high demand.

“Just because the bed count goes back to normal, the amount of meals we’re serving and the services we’re providing for folks with addictions are off the charts,” he said. “The building operates 24 hours a day. Fourteen-thousand meals in January and 12,000-plus meals in February.”

Clem added that the move highlights the need for its proposed, three-story, 55,000-square-foot facility. That facility is proposed to offer 300 beds.

“The (facility) doubles what we can provide currently and so the new mission will help us meet that need,” he said.

Union Gospel Mission is still in the process of raising about $3 million for construction of that facility. Demolition of its existing facility could occur in October.

Have a tip? Contact reporter Troy Brynelson at 503-575-9930, [email protected] or @TroyWB.