Homeless winter shelter program seeks new home

CHICO >> Safe Space’s Winter Shelter may be in danger of closing for the season if the organization can’t find a location for their services.

“Our shelter is a proven enhancement to the continuum of services and has had long-standing success in alleviating pressure on other local agencies, and in decreasing the number of unhoused people sleeping on Chico’s streets throughout winter,” said a press release from Safe Space. “Many of our guests are elderly and medically fragile and we are currently sheltering a young family with two infants.”

The letter stated the shelter has begun to ask local partners to help avoid a pause in operations by helping them to secure a host location for the following weeks:

• Feb. 2-9

• Feb. 23-March 1

• March 1-8

• March 8-14

The program is usually held at different locations on a rotating basis. Chico Adventist, East Avenue Church, Faith Lutheran, First Christian and First Baptist Church have all hosted the program in recent weeks.

Angela McLaughlin, board president, said the shelter typically moves from location to location, but this year did not organize as thorough a list because they were expecting to move into a more permanent building near the Torres Shelter. Unfortunately, that opportunity fell through in the fall, McLaughlin said, after

the cost ballooned above $75,000.

“We’ve been scrambling to catch up,” she said.

Safe Space’s “urgent need is a local church or local building” with sprinklers installed, at least 3,000 square feet that is available for use from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. for seven consecutive nights, the press release said. The organization is able to secure portable bathrooms if needed, but some kind of access to running water is preferable.

Losing 60 shelter beds every night, “even if just temporarily,” the release said, will have significant impacts on Chico’s homeless service providers, community members and agencies.

For more information or to offer services, call 7150045.