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Warming shelter opens 24/7 amid dangerous cold temperatures in Pulaski

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Pulaski, Virginia – Communities in Southwest Virginia are taking heightened precautions to ensure the safety of their residents as temperatures continue to plummet rapidly.

A shelter that provides warmth has opened its doors around the clock in Pulaski. The structure that houses the City of Refuge in Pulaski is more than just a haven to get away from the cold; it is also a demonstration of what can occur when a community pulls together to provide care for those who are the most vulnerable in its midst.

During the snow and ice storms that occurred a month ago, the shelter was initially opened. It is now back, and this time it is functioning around the clock. The temperatures have dropped to levels that are potentially life-threatening.

“We are just trying to make sure that all the bases are covered—all the people who need it in our community are cared for,” according to Terrie Sternberg, Pastor with the Pulaski Ministerial Association. “We are trying to make sure that everything is covered.”

It is the product of a partnership between Pulaski Emergency Management, which supplies the building, the City of Refuge, which donates the building, and the Pulaski Ministerial Association, which arranges the volunteers and the meals.

From the beginning, the Ministerial Association was only able to accommodate eight people in hotels for the month of January; however, the demand continued to increase. At that point, they decided to seek refuge in the City of Refuge.

This form of nocturnal sheltering is something that we have never really addressed before, with the exception of the effects that taking to the streets has had. Sternberg stated, “And I think it’s easy to say that they’ve got that we don’t have to do it, and now that we are learning, we should probably do a little bit more.”

In light of this, the City of Refuge made adjustments to its premises in order to make room for the shelter.

According to Joe Blankenship, Director of the City of Refuge Pulaski, “That’s what we did—we moved a few things around, brought in some cots, and so that’s just something that they were concerned about with the cold moving in, so they reached out to us, and we agreed to help them in any way that we could.”

The City of Refuge is a faith-based organization that is well-known for helping individuals transition out of crisis situations. They provide a wide range of services, including meals, clothing, vocational training, and childcare.

“Bring light, hope, and transformation to the community,” Blankenship said. “That is what we like to do,” he said.

Warmth, food, and other supplies that will assist them in remaining safe throughout the cold are all available to guests inside the shelter.

 

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