Nonprofits step up to provide shelter during winter storm

By ISIS AIDE REYES

As a major winter storm approached Williamson County over the weekend, nonprofits and churches collaborated to create a warming center in Georgetown, which has no official city-run center.

“When we have inclement situations, we feel for our friends and want to try to do whatever makes them feel comfortable, meeting their basic needs,” said Michelle Augustine, an advocate for the unhoused who has launched a new nonprofit called Neighbors First.

Ms. Augustine helped prepare the warming shelter and address people’s needs in close connection with Helping Hands, a nonprofit that oversees the warming shelter. The group housed 47 people at Getsemani Community Center, at 412 East 19th Street, over the weekend.

Local churches such as St. Paul United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church and San Gabriel Unitarian Universalist Church collaborated to bring food, clothing and other resources during the storm. The center also provided people a chance to shower and get a fresh set of clothing to change into.

“We’re trying to get our friends opportunities to shower, which they can do in an overnight warming center,” Ms. Augustine said. “It’s hard for them to have clean clothes to change into. The ability to do that 
is essential.”

Helping Hands also transported people to and from the shelters. Volunteers worked around the clock welcoming people in, establishing a safe environment and helping provide resources.

“There are volunteers for drivers, to stay overnight, as staff, and greet people and make sure their needs are being met,” Ms. Augustine said.

She said they try to prepare at least 10 days in advance when there is an expected winter storm or extreme cold. They consider nighttime temperatures, windchills and other factors, including if other shelters will be open in the Austin area.

“During the cold and rain, it’s miserable, and your body is affected,” Ms. Augustine said.

Conditions often change abruptly, and recruiting volunteers to stay overnight at the last minute is the hardest thing to do, she said.

Although the cities of Round Rock and Austin have city-run warming centers, other areas of Central Texas like Georgetown rely on nonprofits, religious organizations and other groups to step in during severe weather.

This model “seems to be working well based upon overwhelming support in relation to the need that exists during these events,” Mayor Josh Schroeder told the Sun Monday when asked if there are future plans to create a city-run center.

In extreme cases when there are lengthy utility outages due to the cold, the city has opened temporary shelter for residents. That was the case in 2021 during Winter Storm Uri, when Georgetown opened a shelter at the Georgetown Recreation Center, Georgetown Communications Manager Keith Hutchinson said.

“We are extremely appreciative of the efforts of Helping Hands and local churches for staffing and providing meals for those in the warming shelter in the Getsemani Community Center for this winter weather event,” Mr. Hutchinson said. “The city, particularly our police department, is working closely with the shelter operators, including providing materials and weather updates and directing unhoused people to and, in some cases, dropping people off at the shelter.”

Ms. Augustine said in the future, she would like to see a more formal partnership with the city when it comes to the warming shelters and other resources for the city’s homeless residents.

“Eventually we’d like to see a cooling center,” Ms. Augustine said. “The heat does damage to the body. It would be nice to have an overnight center.”

With low nighttime temperatures persisting through the end of the week, the warming center will be open for overnight hours through February  3, according to a Facebook post from Helping Hands.

Isis Aide Reyes is an intern enrolled at the University of Texas who will be working with the Sun this semester.