Marty Fenton of Cornerstone Christian Church plows the Lighthouse Christian Ministries parking lot on Friday. Lighthouse trucks were stuck and unable to pick up food for Lighthouse's free food market before the plow, forcing the market to cancel its normal hours on Saturday.
Monique Johnson, Wenatchee Rescue Mission's director of women's services, stands outside the Mission's Haven of Hope women's shelter. The Mission spent hours making a path to the shelter after its snow plow broke. Vamanos Movers eventually helped clear the Mission's main headquarters.
WENATCHEE — Local homeless shelters turned to community generosity to get them through heavy snow this week.
Shelters reported being full or close to it as snowfall came out to two or more feet depending on the area.
The Wenatchee Rescue Mission had about 10 men’s beds left and six women’s beds left open.
“This has been as full as it’s been for a while,” said Executive Director Scott Johnson. “And we’re getting more people in each day, so it seems like eventually it’s gonna fill up here pretty soon.”
The People’s Foundation’s cold-weather shelter — located at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Elliott Avenue — has been completely full. “We can take 15 guys, and one night I think they even got in 16,” said Susan Steele, who runs the shelter along with her husband.
LightHouse Christian Ministries hosted 65 people for breakfast and 62 for lunch at its soup kitchen Thursday. Director Shawn Arington said that’s around a 15-person increase from usual. The Gospel House, a shelter run by Lighthouse, saw about a 20-person increase.
Each shelter said help from the community has been immense.
Monique Johnson, Wenatchee Rescue Mission's director of women's services, stands outside the Mission's Haven of Hope women's shelter. The Mission spent hours making a path to the shelter after its snow plow broke. Vamanos Movers eventually helped clear the Mission's main headquarters.
Provided photo
Johnson, the Rescue Mission’s executive director, said the organization’s large snowblower broke recently and its truck died, which meant he spent hours with a smaller snow blower clearing a path at its women’s shelter, Haven of Hope. He tried clearing the Mission’s headquarters on Wenatchee Avenue, but wasn’t able to do so. He said Vamanos Movers offered to plow the area for them.
“That was the highlight for us that somebody came to our rescue,” Johnson said. “I tried to have it done professionally, but we just can’t afford the $250 or whatever it is to have someone come out and do it once. It just got too expensive.”
Johnson said he also received a truck full of free wood from Guy’s Tree Service, which he will distribute to individuals living in motorhomes or other vehicles. He added that the community is stepping up “no matter what” and that a new truck, snow blowers and shovels are on the Mission’s wishlist.
LightHouse Christian Ministries also received help plowing their property. After putting out a call for help on Facebook Friday morning, the non-profit’s parking lot was completely plowed just a few hours later thanks to Marty and Cheryl Fenton from Cornerstone Christian Church. Their soup kitchen also had some heroes Thursday.
Marty Fenton of Cornerstone Christian Church plows the Lighthouse Christian Ministries parking lot on Friday. Lighthouse trucks were stuck and unable to pick up food for Lighthouse's free food market before the plow, forcing the market to cancel its normal hours on Saturday.
Provided photo
“We had two ladies hike through the snow, both of them well over a mile, just to keep it open today,”Arington, adding that the snow turned what’s usually a 5-10 person job into a single person one.
Lighthouse is still looking for donations of new or used sleeping bags and tents as well as volunteers.
The People’s Foundation also reported an outpouring of community support.
“We’ve had just a very warm response from the community,” Steele said. She added that the Foundation has received donations of everything from socks and blankets to feminine-hygiene products, which it has been able to share with other shelters. “It’s just been everyone working together and lowering their barriers.”
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone
