A Winter Less Cold Volunteer Group Gaining Momentum

In the heart of Oklahoma, where icy winds often sweep across the plains and temperatures plummet to bone-chilling lows, a group of determined volunteers is kindling a beacon of warmth and hope. They call it "A Winter Less Cold," a project that embodies the spirit of community and resiliency that has come to define Ponca City.

Today, a gathering of fifteen dedicated individuals met to discuss the complexities that come with organizing an emergency warming station. This group has already been meeting for several months. It held its first official meeting on October 30th, 2023.

In a small room, dimly lit by the cold winter sun on this dreary January day, volunteers from a broad range of backgrounds sat for over an hour and a half, brainstorming ways to get this idea from concept to reality.

The agenda for today’s meeting was to go over the detailed, “Policy and Procedure” handbook created for this task force. For a concept that may seem simple to those on the outside, the inner workings of opening a warming shelter are complex, and the volunteer hours and manpower needed to operate one is immense.

The idea of a warming station was born out of a true community effort of empathy and compassion, and the desire to offer shelter from the elements to those who are truly unhoused and at-risk. Ponca City, like many other communities, has its share of residents struggling with homelessness, and during the unforgiving winter months, their plight becomes even more dire.

Forest Noelle led the meeting, which took place at City Central, Suite 203, the office space of Survivor Resource Network. Noelle is an employee of SRN, and her job title is “Rapid Rehousing Coordinator,” so her experience in her field makes her uniquely qualified to lead the effort.

Noelle read the following draft mission statement to volunteers for the Winter Less Cold [“WLC”] group, “The WLC warming center aims to reduce the risks of the unhoused during inclement weather for Kay County residents. Our volunteers will offer a short-term, low-barrier, safe place to sleep while promoting the dignity of our guests. The WLC warming center will create a space that is physically and emotionally safe for all guests and their families regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.”

One of the biggest strengths of the "A Winter Less Cold" group is the cross-partnership and collaboration between area agencies. Agencies represented at this meeting included United Way of North Central Oklahoma, the New Emergency Resource Agency, Survivor Resource Network, GRAND Mental Health, and Peachtree Landing. Other vital partners include private citizens and area businesses. A total of fifteen volunteers were in attendance today. One officer with the Ponca City Police Department was also in attendance, and Noelle said she has spoken numerous times with Ponca City Police Chief Don Bohon as well. A private Facebook group has been set up to connect volunteers and stakeholders with updates and information.

The challenges they face are as real as the biting cold that is set to grip the Midwest in the coming days. As dire as the need is, and despite their best efforts, they are unsure whether they will be able to have a shelter open in time to service clients this weekend when temperatures are predicted to dip into negative digits.

“We do have interested volunteers for this weekend,” says Noelle, citing an influx of volunteer applications she received this past week from willing community volunteers to man the shelter, but there is currently no location that has been fully approved to be able to safely open a shelter, which has hindered the group’s ability to activate the warming shelter. Several locations are “in the works” but approvals and liability insurance coverages are pending.

The complexities of such an undertaking include ensuring the shelter is manned with ample, trained volunteers. Other issues that were discussed included how to organize personal items of shelter residents, how to shelter pets that come with families, and whether or not to sequester men, women, and families. Noelle says the Northern Oklahoma Humane Society has been in touch and has offered to donate items like pet jackets for animals in need at the warming station.

One volunteer spoke from his own personal experience with homelessness, having spent six years on Skid Row in California. He warned that the inherent risks of bad behavior, fighting, and physical violence are very real and he urged precautions to be put in place to mitigate such risks.

Such risks are known at all homeless shelters, and the organizers of this movement are taking extreme caution to ensure that every minor detail has been thoroughly thought through. For this reason among others, an opening date is yet to be determined. Even with the bitter weather this weekend, ensuring that a warming station is opened safely remains the top priority.

Liability is a big factor in the selection of the shelter location, and the current location prospects are not yet set in stone. Several location options are being considered including a local church and a local vacant building that has ample space. To be considered as a potential location, the facility must be safe, have working bathroom facilities, and be climate-controlled. Finding a suitable location, ensuring fire safety, and addressing health concerns are just some of the hurdles they must overcome. Even in the face of a mountain of obstacles, the volunteer group is determined to make this project a reality.

Ponca City has a history of coming together when times are tough. For several years a group of ad hoc volunteers came together to house locals out of the bitter cold using the Rose Stone Inn as a location. Volunteers who participated in that shelter said lessons were learned, and things will be done differently at this warming station.

As this group of dedicated volunteers continues to make progress toward their mission of opening a warming station to those in times of need, they say community support is desperately needed to make this a reality. Monetary donations can be made toward this initiative directly via the United Way of Northcentral Oklahoma office, located at 205 North Second St. UWNCO can be reached at 580-765-2476 or online at uwnco.org.

The "A Winter Less Cold" group tentatively meets weekly on Wednesdays at 11:00 am in Suite 203 in the City Central building located at 400 E Central Ave, but Forest says to be sure to check the Facebook page for updated meeting times and dates. Those area residents who feel strongly about providing shelter to those at-risk residents are encouraged to become part of the solution by attending the meetings or making a monetary donation to help this project become a reality.

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