SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- The City of San Diego has activated it's inclement weather shelters, which include the San Diego Rescue Mission, Father Joe's Villages, and Living Water Church of the Nazarene.
Collectively, the three locations are taking in hundreds of San Diego's unhoused population with temperatures dropping below 50 degrees.
But let's look at two different things when talking about shelters opening for inclement weather.
First, shelters are not just helping adults, they're helping unhoused children and youth, too.
Deacon Jim Vargas with Father Joe's Villages said, "What we've seen this year is more families come in and more children. That's heartbreaking to know that children are out on the streets and we're glad to have them with us for the evening, we've seen as many as 16 children any given nights."
Father Joe's Villages is seeing around 29 families coming into their shelter, and that number is growing. Officials said it's seeing kids that are in school and in homeless situations now doing their homework in one of their shelters.
Father Joe's also said its shelters are helping those who are older and disabled.
Helping those vulnerable communities are also why these three shelters are in dire need of warm donations.
The following donations needed include:
- Sleeping bags
- Blankets
- Socks
- Beanies
- Sweatpants
- Sweatshirts
The second thing to look at is how these donations open other opportunities for the unhoused that many do not realize.
Casey Snell, Interim Senior VP of Homelessness Innovation, said "It is an opportunity to build relationships with folks, especially on a week like this where we've activated a few nights in a row, it's an opportunity for folks to get comfortable in a shelter environment to see if this is something that maybe that would fit for them long term."
Many of the unhoused aren't comfortable living with other people, which is why they choose to stay on the streets — risking their livelihood in these freezing temperatures. But if they have a good experience on one of these inclement weather nights, it could open a door for them to get into programs to help them get on their feet.
As a reminder, San Diegans can call 211 to learn if the three shelters will be opening for inclement weather.
Per the City's website, inclement weather shelters will open when:
- Temperatures are below 50 degrees, with a 40-percent chance of rain
- Temperatures are 45 degrees below
- Exceptional Weather Conditions are in the forecast, including one or more inches of rain and high winds
