MCCAC Activates Warming Center ahead of life-threatening winter weather
MCCAC Shelter Manager Rob Mendoza, and MCCAC Executive Director Kenny LaPoint outside of St. Vincent de Paul Day Center, Wednesday December 21st, 2022. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
By Cole Goodwin
The Dalles, Oregon – With freezing rain, snow, and wind chill temperatures projected to be as low as -15 to -25 degrees in the coming days, Mid-Columbia Community Action Council is opening a temporary warming center using St. Vincent de Paul’s building at 315 W. 3rd St. in The Dalles beginning 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 21st, 2022.
The temporary warming center is scheduled to operate for from 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 21st—7 a.m. Friday, December 23rd.
MCCAC will post an update by 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22nd on the organization’s Facebook page and website (www.mccac.com/shelter) indicating whether the warming center will remain open beyond these dates. An extended opening will depend on staff and volunteer capacity, along with temperatures and winter precipitation based on the updated weekend forecast as of Thursday evening.
As it is the reopening of the warming place comes as bit of a joyful holiday surprise for the community.
As previous attempts to reopen the warming shelter at SVDP have been rocky at best despite MCCAC and the Department of Human Services stepping in with offers to fund and staff the warming shelter. CCCNews had requested comment from multiple SVDP board members over a week ago, about the closure of the warming place but did not receive a response.
At another point during the height of negotiations LaPoint had told CCCNews that he had sent multiple emails to the SVDP board urging them to reopen their warming shelter for just “one more year” prior to the building of a Navigation Center.
However SVDP maintained that they would not be operating the emergency shelter-forcing MCCAC to make some tough choices to make it work.
“This is not sustainable long-term, we had to bring on backup staff member and having staff work overtime over the holidays,” said LaPoint.
LaPoint will be supporting shelter staffing himself, including covering the Christmas shift at the Pallet Shelters so his staff can spend Christmas with their families.
LaPoint said that this short term solution was necessary to achieving MCCAC’s mission.
“I cannot allow this weather to cause detriment to anyone,” said LaPoint.
Warming shelter not included, MCCAC is currently providing 100 people in the area with pallet shelter beds and hotel vouchers to keep them safe from dangerous winter weather.
Need Shelter? Here’s what you need to know:
Houseless people and other vulnerable community members who cannot otherwise get out of the cold can come to the warming center for initial intake between 7 p.m.-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21st or Thursday, Dec. 22nd, or between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22nd.
If MCCAC determines the warming center will stay open for one or more days and nights between Friday, Dec. 23rd and Sunday, Dec. 25th, intakes will take place at the same times those days.
For other information about warming resources, such as where people in need can pick up bundles of warming supplies, or access temporary warming centers on the Washington side of the Columbia River, visit MCCAC’s website: www.mccac.com/shelter.
