Volunteers needed for winter homeless shelter

The city’s wintertime homeless shelter is in need of volunteers for the upcoming season starting Dec. 1.

TORRINGTON >> Torrington’s wintertime homeless shelter is in need of volunteers for the upcoming season beginning on Dec. 1.

Operation Overflow, a four-month shelter that rotates between four local churches throughout the winter, needs volunteers to stay with the homeless overnight. The shelter offers an alcohol and drugfree place to sleep during the cold nights.

The program is going through changes this season, including the formation of steering committee to review and revise policies to make sure the organization remains aligned with its mission. Many of the steering committee members have been with the organization since its inception more than 10 years ago.

Operation Overflow rotates between Trinity Episcopal Church, Center Congregation Church, Northwest Hills Community Church and First United Methodist Church.

Being a volunteer requires staying overnight at one of the churches from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Each church needs one male and one female volunteer throughout the night.

A coordinator is present at 9 p.m. to conduct a breathalyzer test and metal detect each guest and their belongings for weapons. These measures are done for the safety of everyone present. Each church can hold up to 12 people along with the two volunteers.

Operation Overflow is an organization run strictly by volunteers, which provides shelter to the homeless in Litchfield County during the cold winter months. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer is asked to contact Conrad Sienkiewicz at 860-482-6027. Volunteer training sessions will be held in November at Trinity Church.