Chelan Valley Hope Seeks Volunteers for Warming Station

A Chelan-based nonprofit seeks volunteers for its emergency warming center. It's the only one of its kind in an area that's badly under-resourced.

Chelan Valley Hope provides targeted relief for the rural homeless, a demographic that is functionally invisible, says executive director Tamra Hively.

"Rural homelessness - people think it doesn't exist," Hively laments. "But it does! We have people in Chelan who are sleeping around our building or sleeping in [nearby baseball dugouts]." Makeshift encampments are another distressing sight in the hinterland of southern Chelan County. Hively says campers often come to her in need of firewood and propane.

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Unlike your typical homeless shelter, the warming station will not operate on a fixed schedule.

"It won't be open every day," Hively says. "It's going to be weather-dependent. If we can get people into a hotel, we'll do that. If people are maybe struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues, and can't stay in a hotel, we will be open with staff and volunteers from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m."

"Shelters usually have beds for people; they serve meals. This is just a place to come in and get warm. We will have cots, snacks, coffee, that kind of thing, but no bedrooms or anything like that."

What it lacks in lodging space, the nonprofit makes up for in qualified personnel. There will never not be case managers onsite.

"I don't want volunteers to think they're going to be on their own with an unknown population," Hively says. Training is free but exhaustive: volunteers receive a crash course in elemental things like first aid, de-escalation and behavioral health.

The inaugural, two-hour training session (1:30 to 3:30 p.m.) is scheduled for Nov. 21 at Lake Chelan Lutheran Church. Interested parties should call CVH at 509-888-2114.