Homeless Shelters Turning People Away Because of Lack of Volunteers
Winter Homeless Shelter in Yakima
It's a life or death situation -- homeless shelters in Yakima are turning people away because of a lack of volunteers to run the shelters.
Demand has increased as overnight temperatures are dipping into the teens. The two men's shelters in Yakima can hold up to 30 people -- but at least a dozen have been turned away in the past week.
The shelters need 50 male volunteers to open a third shelter for men, and they fear the worst if more volunteers can't be recruited.
"People will die if we cannot get the shelter open, every night that we have to turn someone away is a possible death sentence for that individual," says shelter organizer Ken Trainor.
More female volunteers are also needed for a women's shelter. If you're interested in signing up, contact the Sunrise Outreach Center at 509-225-9310.