Homeless women in urgent need of blankets
For Release: Nov. 28, 2007
Contacts:
- Rusty Barnett (Hope House program director) at 509.455.2886
- Marilee Roloff (Volunteers of America president/CEO) at 509.624.2378
Spokane, Wash.—The Hope House emergency women’s shelter is in urgent need of warm blankets. Donations can be brought directly to the shelter (111 W Third Ave) weekdays between the hours of 9am and 5pm or to Volunteers of America/Crosswalk (525 W Second Ave) at any time. Questions can be directed 509.455.2886.
“There are so many dangers to women’s health and safety on the streets, some as basic as the risk of freezing to death,” says Rusty Barnett, director of the Hope House shelter. “When a woman comes to Hope House looking for a safe, warm place to sleep, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders warms her body and her heart. And when our 34 beds are full and we have the awful task of turning women away, at least we can give them a blanket as a means of keeping warm.”
There are nearly 2,000 homeless single women in Spokane.* The risk to health and well-being of vulnerable homeless women is exacerbated during times of extreme cold weather. When temperatures in Spokane dip below 10 degrees, Hope House becomes one of several “warming centers” designated by the city, the county and the Homeless Coalition. On those nights, if the shelter is full, women can sit in the shelter through the freezing night, when a cup of hot coffee and a warm blanket can literally be lifesaving.
Named for the refuge it provides, Hope House is the only shelter in the Spokane that offers refuge from the dangerous streets to any woman over the age of eighteen, regardless of her mental health status, chemical dependency issues or lifestyle. Thirty-four shelter beds are available each night. Each woman receives personal care including: nutritious food; a hot shower; clean, dry clothing; hygiene items; a warm bed; onsite case management; resource information; and referrals to community resources.
Originally known as the Downtown Women's Shelter, Hope House was founded in response to the 1997 serial murders of women on the streets of Spokane to offer women protection from violence on the street. Operated by Volunteers of America since 2001, Hope House offers an environment of dignity, respect and compassion that honors the intrinsic value and unique experience of every woman. Further information about Hope House can be found at www.voaspokane.org.
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* City of Spokane Continuum of Care Plan for the Homeless 2005, pg 44