More shelter for Cedar Rapids homeless on coldest nights

CEDAR RAPIDS - A collection of local helping services agencies with the support of the city and Linn County have set up a Community Overflow Weather Shelter System to provide emergency shelter to homeless people on the coldest days this winter.

It will have to be cold for the overflow shelter system to click in.

The system will use a windchill chart used to protect children from the cold in determining when the weather has reached the 'danger” point, which will put the overflow system for the homeless into operation.

A 20-degree temperature with a 5 mph wind speed is not considered a danger.

The wind must get to 10 mph at 20 degrees, according to the chart.

Likewise, the wind can be blowing at 40 mph at 30 degrees and the danger standard will not have been met.

Phoebe Trepp, executive director of the Willis Dady Emergency Shelter, said the planning group of helping services agencies that set up the shelter protocol does not anticipate a need to use the overflow beds before Dec. 1. She said the group estimated the system will be needed between 45 and 60 days this winter.

The existing shelter system in place from a handful of providers in Cedar Rapids has about 100 shelter beds available on any given night, Trepp said. She said the Willis Dady shelter had beds available on Tuesday.

The overflow system will be able to add 12 to 18 beds at existing shelters and then another 27 to 33 beds at an overflow center.

Trepp declined to name the site of the overflow center, saying homeless people in need of emergency shelter on the coldest nights will be directed to a free evening meal site between 4 and 6 p.m. There they will be able to get a hot meal, register for a shelter and then be driven to an existing shelter or the overflow center if needed.

Police or other emergency providers will direct people to the overflow beds for those on the street after 6 p.m. during danger periods, Trepp said.

The program will expect shelter users to leave the shelter in the morning.

However, Chad Engelbart, a homeless advocate who helped run an emergency shelter last winter at Green Square Meals, said some days last winter were too cold to send shelter users out into the street during the day.

Trepp said the overflow system is looking for funding support and has a budget of about $14,000. So far it has gotten about $5,800 in contributions from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation and Linn County.

The system also is looking for volunteers and new pillows and new pillow cases.

Homeless people seeking shelter can call (319) 366-7999 or walk in at 318 Fifth St. SE to get information.