To:Â San Gabriel Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
From:Â Michelle Augustine, Shelter Coordinator
Shelter Dates:Â January 19, 2025 PM through January 24, 2025 AM (Second Event)
As the weather forecasts were indicating evening temperatures below 35degrees and an arctic freeze for January 21, a request was made to the SGUUF Board to open a warming shelter again. The original request was for just overnight sheltering. When it was realized that the Georgetown Public Library was going to be closed for MLK Day, January 20, the Social Justice Team requested extending the shelter to include daytime.  The library is the main site where many unhoused seek daytime shelter during our extreme weather conditions. As a result of the library also being closed on Tuesday, January 21, the shelter remained open again during the daytime.
The shelter operated as a cooperative effort between SGUUF and Helping Hands of Georgetown, who was considered to be the responsible non-profit operating the shelter. One of the HHG employees was paid to stay overnight, all but one night. In accordance with proper procedures, the Victims Assistance of Georgetown Police Department was notified; GPD drove by our facility regularly. In accordance with regulations, the Williamson County & Cities Health Department was notified.Â
This effort required a total of 30 volunteers to: staff daytime hours, to stay overnight,to work the welcome table, to provide transportation to and from our church, to have a few extra hands on deck, oversee showers, wash towels, and to clean the facility. Volunteers were scheduled from SGUUF, First United Methodist, and Wellspring United Methodist, along with a few "drop-in" volunteers from the Georgetown community and Grace Bible Church.
In addition, Meals were coordinated by First United Methodist. 10 volunteers from both First UM and Wellspring UM provided hot breakfasts and hot dinners for each day.  To maintain health regulations, it was important to control meal donations and not just anyone bring any "leftovers" from restaurants. In addition, HHG brought frozen and fresh food, pastries, breads, and snack items.
Up to 20 guest residents were housed at the shelter, with cots/blankets provided by the Red Cross to HHG. We had 1 guest resident on the last night requesting to move outside (we placed him on the side deck) as his anxiety level was very high but he wanted the safety of being nearby.   There were 4 female guests and 16 men on the last night of operation.  Protocols were enforced that when females are on the premises, we must maintain female volunteers to be on site and at shower opportunities. Our location does not provide the proper setup to house families; if we were to receive such a request, they would be directed to contact The Caring Place, who sometimes has arrangements to refer to a North Austin shelter.
An unbelievable amount of clothing, gloves, blankets were donated from the public, along with a donation of men's underwear from a local policeman. Undergarments are a valued commodity.   A resident of Jarrell contacted us and delivered 49 homemade knitted hats and 100 small Ikea blankets. An agency of Round Rock called to offer help if needed. Volunteers of Taylor, who were assisting the unhoused there, called a few times about sending clients our way (but that never developed).     Side note: Taylor Community Assessment & Navigation (T-CAN) and St. James Episcopal Church paid for 50 guests to stay in a local hotel in Taylor. (No funding from the city of Taylor.).  A member of SGUUF donated 100 handwarmers and others donated small reflective blankets for everyone to take upon the shelter closing.
Media Coverage occurred on both shelter events. Â Michelle Augustine was contacted by the following for interviews, which provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the many who are experiencing homelessness.
Jan. 6Â Wilco Sun Newspaper
Jan. 21 Wilco Sun Newspaper / photo of person walking to access our shelter
Jan. 22Â KVUE TV
Jan. 23Â KXAN TV, very short interview & then included info on the PIT Count occurring that day
Monetary donations:
- Rev. Walt Doering, friend of Lou Snead. donated $100
- Anonymous $40 was donated by a couple bring blankets to the shelter
Supplies:
Helping Hands of Georgetown provided paper and plastic products for eating. We encouraged the use of our plates and silverware to reduce trash, as there was at least one bag per meal time of trash. HHG provided toilet paper and several rolls of paper towels. Coffee, sugar, and creamer was also provided. So, there was a minimal impact on what supplies that SGUUF had to provide. Â
SGUUF Expense:
Michelle has asked Facilities to calculate the approximate expense of electricity and water usage.
We may also have the expense of a plumber to fix a dripping faucet in the Fellowship House tub. We did not have an issue after showers were administered on January 20-21. However, there was an unscheduled and uncoordinated shower event that occurred on January 22-23 that may have resulted, unknownst to the SGUUF volunteer, in the overuse of the faucet and demand on the small hot water tank.
FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF USING SGUUF FOR AN EXTREME WEATHER SHELTER
1. I suggest that we have specific SGUUF Coordinators for: overnight volunteers, meal volunteer followup, drivers, shower scheduling, and clean-up tasks (shelter residents did help with some clean-up duties, but bathrooms need to be cleaned under specific regulations, certain products are suggested for disinfecting, etc.)
2. Required Training, via Zoom, for volunteers so as to better understand their responsibilities and to maintain better control.
3. Consider performing background checks on the overnight volunteers, such as what we do for Shower Events at SGUUF.
3. Consider having someone on site that has a Food Handlers license.
-- With much gratitude for allowing SGUUF to offer a shelter,
Michelle Augustine
