January 20, 2017 – In Truckee, harsh winter weather and extremely cold temperatures make it a bitter place to be outdoors on a cold, windy night. Even people who have lived in Truckee for a relatively short time can recall accounts of people stranded without shelter during a winter storm who have lost their life trying to sur-vive in a car or a vacant structure. The Truckee Tahoe Emergency Warming Center (EWC) will provide a warming space in Truckee where people can go when weather conditions are life threatening. United For Action has made it their mission to address the needs of communities in the Tahoe region, and in this case, the needs of the homeless, under sheltered and people stranded and unable to secure lodging.
United For Action has worked long and hard to find a location and develop a program to provide a safe shelter on nights with extreme weather. Last season was a success and this program was awarded the competitive Nevada County Health and Human Services Community Partner Award last July. This project has been a tremendous undertaking supported not only by Truckee residents and churches, but also by churches and concerned citizens in the surrounding Tahoe area. The center is located in the Church Of The Mountains, in downtown Truckee, at 10079 Church St.
The Truckee Tahoe Emergency Warming Shelter will be able to open whenever sufficient volunteers are available and the following weather triggers are met:
- When temperatures are 15 degrees or below for at least four hours and/or forecasted over night wind chill temperatures are below 15 degrees for four hours.
- When snowfall of 12 or more inches is forecasted overnight.
- When there are extreme weather conditions such as blizzards, severe rain storms, or very high wind, as defined by the National Weather Service.
For more information on the program and other ways to volunteer and donate please email Cathie Foley at: truckeeEWC@gmail.com
United for Action (UFA) is a coalition of faith based groups, nonprofits and the counties.