Faith-based community joins forces with nonprofits to offer 'Winter Sanctuary' to homeless

2011-12-07T00:55:24Z

In spite of a $75,000 funding shortfall, Volunteers of America, Sacramento Steps Forward and Sacramento’s interfaith community are going forward with plans to offer nightly shelter and meals to Sacramento-area homeless men and women.

The second season of the collaborative “Winter Sanctuary” program began Dec. 1, and is once again offering people in need safe and comfortable shelter in the dining halls, community rooms and gyms of faith-based centers throughout Greater Sacramento.

While funding has only been secured to guarantee operation through January 2012, Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada and Sacramento Steps Forward have decided to open the doors now to provide at least two months of shelter for as many as 100 people each night – 100 people who might otherwise be forced to sleep outside in the cold.

“The other shelters in town are at capacity with long waiting lists,” said Leo McFarland, president and CEO of Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada. “With the temperature dropping, we couldn’t wait until all of the funding is secured. We are prayerful that the rest of the money will come in and we won’t have to close after only 60 days, but that’s a possibility.”

Over the course of the inaugural Winter Sanctuary season, which ran from Dec. 1, 2010, to March 31, 2011, dedicated volunteers from 24 host congregations provided shelter nightly.

During this period, some 2,000 of these interfaith volunteers not only purchased, prepared and served dinner and breakfast to more than 545 of their neighbors in need, but gave haircuts, offered assistance with résumés, showed movies and engaged their often-isolated guests in conversation.

“Winter Sanctuary was one of the very best outreach events that we have been involved with in years,” said Arcade Church Pastor Dann Bryant. “We didn’t know what to expect, and we were pleasantly surprised. It truly far exceeded my expectations. It was just a great blessing for the volunteers who participated, and for the people it was administered to.”

Through the generosity of the participating congregations, the Winter Sanctuary program was able to operate at just 25 percent of the cost of a dedicated winter “overflow” shelter.

Further, more than 80 individuals, and 25 business and civic associations made financial contributions and gave in-kind donations in support of the program’s inaugural year.

Those houses of worship scheduled to provide shelter and meals during the 2011-12 Winter Sanctuary program are:

Arcade Church
Capital Christian Center
First Baptist Church of Elk Grove
First Covenant Church of Sacramento
Mars Hill Church
New Life Community Church
Restoration Life
The Rock of Roseville
Sacramento Central Seventh-day Adventist Church
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
St. Mark’s United Methodist Church
St. Paul Baptist Church
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Sun River Church
This Is Pentecost Fellowship Ministries
Trinity Life Center
Westminster Presbyterian Church

Those interested in making a contribution toward the 2011-12 Winter Sanctuary program may do so online at sacramentostepsforward.org, volunteersofamerica-sac.org, or by calling (916) 557-9772.

Established locally in 1911, the Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada affiliate of Volunteers of America is one of the largest providers of social services in the region, operating more than 40 programs dedicated to ending homelessness, supporting the most vulnerable populations and transforming communities for the better.

Its ministry of service supports and empowers America’s most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, seniors, homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, and those recovering from addictions.

Sacramento Steps Forward is an initiative to rally the community towards a shared and collective effort to end homelessness.

Members include business and faith community leaders, foundations, service providers, homeless and community representatives, law enforcement and elected officials from local cities and Sacramento County.

Watch an animated slideshow from the inaugural Winter Sanctuary season.

Disclosure: Barry Wisdom is the public relations and marketing officer for Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada.

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Faith-based community joins forces with nonprofits to offer 'Winter Sanctuary' to homeless