Between Sundays 11-10-23

 Each night there are over 1600 people on the streets of Ventura County looking for shelter.  The Point-in-Time count earlier this year showed at least 2,441 people were homeless in Ventura County.  Of this number, only 808 were sheltered.  There simply are not enough shelter beds.
 
The end of daylight savings signals that nights will come earlier and become colder.  You may recall the severe rains and cold weather this past winter.  More of this weather is again forecast this winter.
 
Think about the suffering that severe rain and cold bring to our homeless neighbors.  Some of us may get caught in the rain for a few moments, but none of us endures hours of pouring rain.  Let us remember that at least 158 unhoused people died in Ventura County in 2022.
 
For the first time, the cities of Ventura and Oxnard will each be opening separate Foul Weather Shelter (FWS) programs during the coming winter.  In addition to the 24/7 shelters both cities currently operate, the FWS programs will provide motel rooms for unhoused people when the weather becomes severe.  Between December 1st of this year to the end of March, 2024, the FWS programs will be triggered when predicted temperatures fall below 40 degrees or over 
½ inch of rain is anticipated.
 
The Foul Weather Shelter programs in Ventura and Oxnard will protect about 40 of the most vulnerable homeless folks.  Priority for FWS beds will be people over 65 and/or those with serious health conditions. Remaining rooms will be on a first come/first served basis.  For those who cannot get a room, “stay warm packs” will be provided.
 
How can you help?
 The FWS programs in both Ventura and Oxnard will rely on the generosity of faith communities.  River Community Church in Ventura and All Saints Episcopal Church in Oxnard will serve as program centers.  You can help in the following ways:
 

1. For the Ventura program, offer to provide meals.  Each FWS participant will receive a warm dinner and breakfast for the following day.  UUCV will be on standby to provide meals for specific weeks.  If you would like to help provide meals, please contact Sue Brinkmeyer at suebrinkmeyer@earthlink.net.

2. Donate items for the “stay warm packs.”  Unhoused folks who do not meet the criteria for motel rooms will receive supplies to assist them during the weather event.  The packs will include rain ponchos, tarps, blankets, jackets, hand-warmers, socks, toiletries, snacks, and bags for the materials.  

– If you would like to donate items for Ventura, please contact Kappy Paulson at kmp160@sbcglobal.net.  The River Community Church also has an Amazon “wish list” for donations.  

– If you would like to donate items for Oxnard, please contact Yukio Okano at yukio.okano@yahoo.com

 

3. Monetary donations.  This coming week’s UUCV plate collection will go to the Ventura and Oxnard FWS programs.  You can also mail checks as follows:

– For Ventura, send checks made out to River Community Church to 859 E. Santa Clara Street, Ventura 93001.  Put “Foul Weather” in the memo line.

– For Oxnard, send checks made out to All Saints Episcopal Church to 144 South “C” Street, Oxnard 93030.  Put “Foul Weather” in the memo line.

 
4. Volunteer when the FWS is triggered.  Volunteers are needed to help support the FWS programs by hosting participants at gathering centers and distributing “stay warm packs.”   If you would like to volunteer, please contact the following:

For Ventura, contact Kappy Paulson.
For Oxnard, contact Yukio Okano.  

Foul weather shelters will not solve the problem of homelessness.  But they will help protect the most vulnerable members of our community.  Please do what you can to help.