CODE PURPLE: Shelters respond to severe cold December 9, 2010

Area Shelters Enact CODE PURPLE and Offer Emergency   Cold Weather Services

In response to recent deadly winter weather, area shelters have come together to offer emergency cold weather services to people who are currently experiencing homelessness and would not otherwise have a safe, warm place to stay. To minimize risk to people in Asheville and Buncombe County, when the temperature falls below 32 degrees (or the equivalent with the wind chill factor) area shelters will designate a CODE PURPLE. Persons experiencing homelessness will have the opportunity to come inside and warm up during the day, even if a shelter would typically be closed. Extra floor, cot, and bed space will be available at overnight shelters to ensure that no one has to stay outside. Shelters are encouraging emergency workers and police to urge people outside at night to come inside.

Shelters offering CODE PURPLE services include:

A-Hope Day Center www.hbofa.org 19 North Ann Street, Asheville, NC 28801, 828.252.8883

On CODE PURPLE days, the A HOPE Day Center will open to everyone from 7 a.m. – Noon

ABCCM Veteran’s Quarters www.abccm.org/vets-place.html 1329 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805, 828.299.8791

People seeking shelter can access the Veteran’s Quarters emergency shelter starting at 4 p.m.. The shelter will accommodate additional homeless individuals in our lobby and dining room areas.

Salvation Army, 204 Haywood Street, Asheville NC, 28801, 828.253.4723

The Salvation Army will offer their space for people to come inside and sit during the day.  People can come to the agency for overnight emergency shelter services starting at 4 p.m. The Salvation Army will offer overflow spaces through the use of cots, mats, and blankets.

Swannanoa Emergency Shelter Swannanoa Christian Ministry, 828.669.9404 or Bill Walker at 828.273.0025

Purple flags will be flown at First Baptist Church in Swannanoa, Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry, and soon at Tolley Insurance in Swannanoa on days that the shelter is open. Guests are admitted to the volunteer-run, 16-bed shelter between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. with dinner being served at 6:30 p.m. Guests who arrive after 7:00 p.m. will only be admitted if they have made prior arrangements or if they are brought by law enforcement or a pastor from a local church. The shelter closes at 7:00 a.m.

Western Carolina Rescue Ministries www.westerncarolinarescue.org
225 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801, 828.254.1529

The agency will post a CODE PURPLE on the top right-hand corner of their website and post a CODE PURPLE indicator on the front door of the shelter each night that CODE PURPLE is in effect.  During CODE PURPLE, regular services are enhanced by extending the number of evening overflow spaces through the use of cots, mats and blankets, allowing clients to remain indoors throughout the day in our chapel, encouraging police, paramedics, and other agencies may bring people needing shelter after the normal “closed door” time of 6 p.m.

The above organizations and others in the community will be offering other services to assist persons experiencing homelessness throughout the cold winter months.

The CODE PURPLE effort stems from the collaborative work of the Homeless Coalition, which is a collective of agencies, faith groups, and individuals experiencing homelessness that works on an ongoing basis to address the needs of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month at 12:30. To learn more, contact co-chair Brian Alexander at brian@hbofa.org.