Last night, the weather got below 32 degrees and as a result The Salvation Army downtown shelter went into our “cold weather operations.”
Our bed capacity is 259 which will not accommodate the amount of homeless men, women and children. Last night, working with the ARCH, the City of Austin and Cap Metro, the South Austin Recreation Center was opened for men to get out of the cold weather. All together, 90 men were taken to the South Austin Recreation Center. They slept on cots and city employees act as monitors. Once the buses leave our shelter to take men to the South Austin Recreation Center, if anyone else comes to our door later that night, we let them in and make room for them.
In the morning Cap Metro picks them back up, brings them here to the downtown shelter and they are feed breakfast after our residents have had their meals.
Additionally, 17 women, above our 38 bed capacity for single women, were given sleeping mats and spent the night in our clinic area. The Salvation Army makes room for all women and children as needed.
