Tri-Cities homeless shelters see surge in need during cold snap. How you can help
Tri-Cities homeless shelters are seeing a surge in demand as temperatures plummet and more snow begins to roll in.
Dozens of people crowded the lobby of Tri-City Union Gospel Mission this week as the coldest stretch of winter brought dangerously low temperatures for people without a home or shelter.
On days when it’s nice outside only a few people might be in the lobby after lunch, but with daytime highs hovering around 20 degrees, the shelter makes adjustments so anyone wanting to get warm can come in for as long as they’d like. Some even bring their dogs.
Executive Director Andrew Porter told the Herald that animals are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure the safety of other people and pets at the shelter.
Volunteers with the annual Point in Time count found more than 100 people sleeping outside at the end of January.
While the Union Gospel Mission is a faith-based organization, they don’t turn anyone away if they don’t want to participate in services.
If they run out of beds, the large chapel area is turned into overflow space. During the day they’ll use that area for movies to give people something to do.
Residents also help out with chores at the shelter, with some in their recovery programs working part time to gain job experience and a work reference.
For those who don’t want to stay inside, the shelter tries to keep stocked up on hand warmers and blankets. Those are the items they’re most in need of when it comes to donations this time of year.
Monetary donations also are appreciated as the cost of providing shelter skyrockets with heating bills in winter.
It’s expensive to run a building that size and provide services for more than 100 daily. With recent increases in fuel prices, Porter said the mission’s heating bill in winter has now climbed to nearly $10,000 a month for the 40,000-square-foot building.
Shelter capacity
Porter said it’s important for people to try and come in, even if they’re worried that the shelter might be full.
If it is full, which is only likely to happen with the women’s shelter, they can give the person a letter to take to the Housing Resources Center with the Benton-Franklin Health District to help them get a hotel voucher.
Because the newer men’s shelter, at 221 S. 4th Ave. in Pasco, is much larger and has overflow capacity, they haven’t run into an issue where there is no space at all left. They have room for 162 men, plus the emergency space.
Residents can stay a night or up to 60 days. If they enroll in recovery or case management programs, they can stay for even longer.
The women and children’s shelter at 110 N. 2nd Ave. has room for 32.
Porter hopes that once they’ve raised enough money to replace the women’s shelter, they’ll be able to have similar overflow space. Currently the women and children’s shelter is in a smaller, 100-plus-year-old building a few blocks away.
They’ve raised about $4 million of the $9.5 million to build the new facility. That shelter will be in Kennewick near the Toyota Center.
Who can get help?
Porter said that he gets a lot of phone calls asking how to help someone in need.
The best way is for the person in need to get to UGM so they can get connected to other services.
Not everyone is comfortable going to the shelter though, and some people have mental health or addiction issues that prevent them from being able to follow the mission’s rules.
They can still get help during the day or come in for a meal, do laundry or take a shower. The shelter also has a clothing closet if they need something to wear.
Porter said that even if a person isn’t ready or able to begin recovery or help for mental health, the shelter is still willing and able to help.
Even if a person has been asked to leave UGM, it’s usually only temporary until they’ve sobered up or calmed down.
Staff also has been trained to spot people who are at risk of overdosing and now carry Narcan.
Work is underway for the first public recovery center in the Tri-Cities. By this time next winter, the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery in Kennewick will be able to help people get sober or stabilized and then connected to services for long-term care.
Other ways to help
The Union Gospel Mission website has printable “Rescue Cards” with information on how to get to the shelter, services they offer and meal times.
People doing outreach will often put these cards in a Ziploc bag with a bottle of water, hand warmers, a granola bar and other necessities.
Porter said he would never ask someone to give a ride to a person they don’t know, but they can include bus tickets in the aid bags. Bus tickets can be purchased online, at the Three Rivers Transit Center or at WinCo, Safeway, Fred Meyer and Yoke’s.
Volunteers with the Point in Time count handed out waterproof camping sleeping bags and new backpacks with similar supplies. Those kind of donations can be brought to the shelter or the Housing Resource Center in Kennewick, at 7102 W Okanogan Pl.
Warming centers
There are a variety of warming centers across the Tri-Cities open during the day for anyone who needs to get out of the cold.
All Saints Episcopal Church in Richland monitors the weather and opens overnight as needed at 1322 Kimball Ave. The church posts changes in hours to their Facebook page.
All Mid-Columbia Libraries branches serve as daytime warming centers.
Other warming centers include
- Columbia Center mall, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd. in Kennewick
- Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Dr. in Richland.
- Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Dr. in Richland.
- First Avenue Center, 505 N. 1st Ave. in Pasco
- Becky’s Coffee Corner, 1120 Meade Ave. in Prosser
- Renz Farmers Insurance Agency, 1108 Meade Ave. in Prosser
This story was originally published February 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
