As the snow fell and temperatures plummeted going into Thursday night, Penny Martin, founder & Board President of Advocates for Homeless and Those in Need, was reaching out to the about 300 volunteers the organization has in its database to see who could come in for day one of the three -day “Code Blue” called for by Bucks County.
According to forecasters, it will be 2 degrees outside Friday night, so Martin is busy staffing the ATHN site in Yardley preparing for those in need of shelter.
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What is a code blue, you might ask? Essentially it’s “a county- wide effort to provide shelter for unsheltered people during periods of inclement weather when wind chill and precipitation combine to cause the outside temperature to plummet below 20 degrees fahrenheit. These conditions present the threat of serious harm and/or death to unsheltered individuals,” the ATHN website says.
It’s the fifth year ATHN is overseeing code blue’s, according to its website. During the winter season of 2012-2013, there were 51 nights that sites were opened due to frigid and dangerous temperatures outside. Approximately 3400 guests were able to stay warm and have hot meals at Lower Bucks sites throughout the cold season, the site says.
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Martin said there are about 40-50 people who regularly volunteer but there is a need to increase the number of volunteers of available to so the on-call sites can be fully operational. Keeping her enthusiasm and perspective intact she hopes new volunteers will sign up for the training offered next Tuesday at the Woodside Presbyterian Church on 1667 Edgewood Road in Yardley at 7:30 p.m.
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“We just need some more help,” Martin said. “We have volunteers who give of themselves regularly, she said, and there are times when they even need a break since most have jobs, families, and other responsibilities.”
The first night of the county-wide code blue this week – Thursday night – there were 23 guests at the Yardley site, she said
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ATHN averages about 21 guests since opening for this season, according to officials and that number could very well grow, Martin said as it gets into the depths of winter.
According to ATHN, officials for the on-call sites to open the overnight shelter a total of 15 to 18 volunteers in various positions are needed to provide the supportive services needed for such an important task, Martin said by phone. Prior to calling volunteers yesterday she was reviewing her list of of available volunteers for Thursday night, adding that over night staff is split shifts, three persons for each shift running from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Additionally there needs to be one female and male for each shift, according to information provided by ATHN.Martin said there is also a need for volunteer drivers and a CDL license isn’t required to fulfill that need, she said via e-mail.
In order to become a volunteer, training (that ATHN pays for) is required according to the website. For more information on how to become a volunteer or sign up for the next weeks training please click here
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“ATHN is a 100 percent volunteer run 501 c3 program whose success is contingent upon the community and its willingness to give of itself,” Martin said. “We just need a little more help” for those facing the extraordinary challenges of being homeless.
