Saint Clement Overflow Hypothermia Shelter
January 2 - March 15, 2007
Sundays through Fridays
As we have done for more than ten years, The Church of St. Clement will provide an overflow hypothermia shelter for Carpenter's Shelter. The St. Clement Shelter operates Sundays through Fridays from January 2 through March 15, 2007.
The people who come here are carefully screened and consider it an honor to come to a more peaceful environment. If you have questions or can fulfill any of the positions here, please contact Elsie Mosqueda via the office by email as soon as possible. We have a specific need for Shelter Openers at this time. Please read further for information and thank you for your help!
General Coodrinator arrive oversees the opration of the shelter, interfaces with Carpenter's Shelter, recruits volunteers, raises money for the operation of the shelter, manages the budget and directs volunteer efforts.
Resources Coordinator arranges for and prepares coupons and bus tokens and ensures these are available for the shelter guests.
Overnight Volunteer Coordinator organizes and coordintaes area churches and secures from them lists of volunteers who will serve each night St. Clement is open. The OVC also maintains a list of those volunteers and emergency backup volunteers to assist shelter openers in thte rare occasion that someone does not come to the shelter when scheduled.
Emergency Overnight Volunteers are occasionally needed during the shelter season to staff the shelter overnight (or a portion of the night) in the event one of our regular volunteers cannot make it. Overnight volunteers staff the shelter from 8 PM until 6:30 AM.
Shelter Opener Coordinator sends a schedule to the openers of the evenings for which they hav committed and reminds them as necessary by e-mail. The SOC provides a 10-15 minute training "walk through and Q&A" prior to the shelter opening on January 2 to ensure that the openers are familiarized with the location of light switches, thermostats, phone, clock, flashlight, and all the materials in the binder. The SOC familiarizes the openers with shere to find envelopes containing tokens and coupons, food for the shelter, clean sheets and emergency contact numbers.
Shelter Openers* arrive prior to the Overnight Volunteers (provided by other parishes). They open the church, ensure that all is ready to receive the shelter guests, and brief the Overnight Volunteers on their duties. This typically takes less than one hour.
Food Preparation Coordinator sends out (or gives at church) a schedule and procedures to each of the food preparers and reminds them to perform the preparation of the food for the shelter as needed. The FPC also conducts a 10-minute "walk through" prior to the shelter opening, reminding the volunteers where to find the food to prepare and how it should be set up for the shelter guests' use. The FPC also provivdes food, paper products, and other materials needed by the food preparers. These supplies are purchased in bulk about every three weeks.
Food Preparers set up light snacks and beverages (provided by the church) for the shelter guests. This requires about thirty minutes.
Food Providers* will purchase in bulk from Costco or BJ's every three weeks. These supplies will include paper products (including hot/cold cups, plates, napkins, etc.) and other materials (such as powdered drinks, cookies, chops, pretzels and other snacks, instant coffee, creamer, sugar pckets, cocoa, etc.) required by the food preparers. The FPC should give the FP a list of the anticipated needs at least one week in advance.
Laundry Coordinator The people who take on these responsibilities will also be recruiting volunteers to help with their particular tasks. This is a very worthwhile and fulfilling ministry.
Laundry Volunteers are needed each Monday during the shelter season to pick up laundry from St. Clement, deliver it to the Alexandria Jail, pick up the clean laundry from the jail, and return it to St. Clement.
*Usually, Shelter Openers and Food Preparers sign up for one night a week during the shelter season, but you can sign up for shorter or longer periods.
Contact Elsie with any shelter questions by email. Thank you.