Sacramento County’s largest weather respite center opened last week and is asking the public for help to care for the region’s most vulnerable.
County spokesperson Janna Hayes said that they are in need of donations, particularly men’s winter clothes, as well as other basic necessities. Sacramento’s city and county governments, along with its houses of worship, open respite centers to provide a dry, warm place for unhoused residents during the cold and rainy months.
“We do have people here 24 hours a day. They’re taking showers. They may come in wet off the streets,” Hayes said. “We really need jackets, clothes, particularly men’s clothing, towels, hygiene items, and then we need dog food because we do have dogs here on site that need to be fed.”
The county’s largest respite center is located in Rosemont at the Warren E. Thorton Youth Center. It usually opens when the temperature reaches below 37 degrees, but Haynes said this winter the weather has been unusual, prompting them to open earlier.
“Because the fog was so dense and so damp, we decided that it’s almost like it’s raining outside for people who live outside,” she said. “In the week we’ve been activated, we have since filled up.”
There are a total of 80 cots available at the center, as well as a special area with individual crates for pets. The centers provide beds, showers, hygiene kits, clothes and food for the unhoused.
Sacramento County’s largest weather respite center is located at the Warren E. Thorton Youth Center. It opened December 18 and has space for 80 cots, a room for animals, showers, and provides food and hygiene products.Riley Palmer/CapRadio
When the Thorton Youth Center hits full occupancy, Hayes said that the county increases beds at its North A Street shelter in the River District.. The city also operates its own respite centers at 3615 Auburn Blvd and 700 North Fifth St., also in the River District.
Haynes said the county budgeted $365,000 to operate its warming centers between last month and March, which works out to $45.68 per person when the center is at capacity.
County nonprofit partner First Step Communities runs the respite center near Rosemont, and also has caseworkers onsite to help connect people with housing or shelter services. Kaylee Glaspell is a spokesperson for First Step Communities. She told CapRadio donations are critical to the work they do.
“Donations have a massive impact,” she said. “You can donate literally anytime. We have staff here 24/7.”
Glaspell noted they are also looking for dog food, toys and other items such as beds.
A dog rests in his crate at Sacramento County’s largest weather respite center at 4000 Branch Center Road. The center has a room dedicated to animals for the unhoused people who come to take refuge from the elements there.Riley Palmer/CapRadio
“The folks who are coming in here are incredibly vulnerable. They’ve been outside for a really long time. They have disabilities, mental health conditions, and they maybe don’t know how to connect to resources,” she said. “The weather respite is an approachable first step for them.”
Unhoused resident LaQuann D’Jane-Lakiateneal Rosenthal-Roe came to the shelter about a week ago. She said the respite center has provided a clean, warm environment.
“They’re constantly mopping the floor and everyone helps out,” Rosenthal-Roe said. “They clean the bathrooms, the showers are here. There are assistants to help those who need it.”
Rosenthal-Roe said being on the street in the cold and rain is scary.
“ It’s not a good feeling when you wake up and your friends don’t wake up that you’ve met or your acquaintances that you ran into within the homeless community because they’ve frozen,” Rosenthal-Roe said.
According to Rosenthal-Roe, here is a list of items that make the difference for the unhoused when they’re outside in winter temperatures:
Winter outerwear that blocks wind, rain and frost
Turtlenecks
Shawls
Scarves
Prayer blankets and shawls
Underwear and under armour gear
Deodorant
Eye drops
Allergy medicine
Over the counter cough syrup
Lotion
Body spray
Flash lights
Radios
The public can drop off donations at the Warren E. Thorton Youth Center at 4000 Branch Center Road through 10 a.m. on January 5.
Follow us for more stories like this
CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.