The Kingston Severe Weather Shelter is in need of additional volunteers in order to open this winter.
The shelter is housed at the Village Green Community Center and operated by Kingston Cares. The shelter season begins Nov. 1, and the Kingston shelter is open from 6:30 p.m.to 6:30 a.m. on nights when Kitsap County’s Department of Emergency Management’s weather prediction includes freezing temperatures, an inch of rain or an inch of snow in a 24-hour period, per a news release.
Shelter guests are provided with a safe and warm place to sleep, which includes a cot, bedding, shower facility and warm beverages. Socks, gloves, toiletries, bus tokens and gift cards to local eateries are often available, provided by the community through donations to Kingston Cares.
The Kingston shelter first opened in 2013, and although a group of the original volunteers is still active, a large pool of committed workers is required because shortages of volunteers often occur due to winter travels, illness and inability to get to the shelter due to weather-related road conditions, the release says.
Last year, the Kingston shelter was activated 31 times, and provided 106 bed nights with four as an average number of guests per night. It is anticipated that in the coming season, the Kingston shelter will see more guests because there is no longer a severe weather shelter in Poulsbo. Guests can get free rides to and from the Kingston shelter from anywhere in the county through Gather Together Grow Together transportation.
Volunteers work five-hour shifts in pairs, and it takes at least seven volunteers a night to staff the shelter. Volunteers are registered through the DEM and are required to pass a background check. New volunteers are paired with experienced workers.
More information on the severe weather shelter and how to volunteer can be found on the Kingston Cares website (https://www.kingstoncares.org/), which provides a link to the DEM’s application form. Those who are interested in volunteering can get additional information by sending an email to ruthcac@gmail.com.
New volunteer training sessions for the Kingston shelter will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 6. Returning volunteers are also welcome to attend.
