BOISE, Idaho — It may not have felt like it on sunny Thursday, but winter is on its way - and with it, plunging temperatures that present a predicament for members of Boise's homeless population.
Although overnight shelters provide those without a home a place to sleep and get meals, several are closed down during the daytime hours.
"The services that we've received from these outside agencies, they've just had to go away and so we have really had to step up and figure out, okay, how do we make sure we are still able to do all this? We still have to provide all the meals," said the executive director for Interfaith Sanctuary, Jodi Peterson-Stigers.
Our Path Home, a partnership that works with the City of Boise, public agencies, and community partners to end homelessness, is opening a winter warming shelter to provide the homeless somewhere to get out of the elements during the day.
"This building is really big and has allowed us to create a really wonderful shelter that has lots of space and we are really able to offer a lot of services. We've got hot beverages, lunch service, case management, a whole computer room, a room for groups and we've got a community area and a donation closet, books and puzzles thinks like that," said Peterson-Stigers.
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The warming shelter will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week and is located at the former Foothills School of Arts and Sciences at 618 South 8th Street.
"Masks will be required," Peterson-Stigers said. "If you don't have one we give them to you. We have hand sanitizer everywhere [and] we clean off the computers once they have been used. So I think it should be a really good way to kind of continue this pandemic behavior and do it in a safe way."
Staff, supplies, and day-to-day management of the shelter will be provided by Interfaith Sanctuary.
Previously, the Corpus Christi House in Boise provided winter day shelter services, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Corpus Christi has been limited to offering showers and mail services.
For more information about Our Path Home, or to make a donation, visit their website here.
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