Cold weather shelter preparing for year two in Williston
At long last, homeless people in Williston, North Dakota, have a warm place to sleep.
In February 2014, the Williston Salvation Army and New Hope Wesleyan Church opened a new cold-weather transitional shelter program called Project Heat. The program operates daily from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from late fall to early spring, when up to 10 homeless men can sleep in the warmth of a modular home leased from a local housing company.
Until Project Heat arrived, the Williston homeless population had no shelter options.
“We are proud of what we’ve accomplished so far,” said Captain Joshua Stansbury, co-leader of the Williston Salvation Army. “We realize there are more than 10 homeless people in Williston, but that’s 10 fewer people who will have to sleep outside when it’s below zero.”
Stansbury’s efforts were validated in May 2014, when a former Project Heat shelter guest walked up to him in public and said he’d found a good job and permanent housing.
“He poured out his heart of thanks for what Project Heat did for him,” Stansbury said.
Volunteer void
Project Heat operates exclusively by volunteers, with dozens – or even hundreds – of them needed through spring 2015. But without adequate volunteer support, year two of Project Heat could be in danger of starting later than its November target date, or not operating at all.
Every night of Project Heat requires six volunteers, four of whom must help out during the wee hours of the night. Last year, the program struck volunteer gold in the form of Tony Walters, a U.S. Army veteran in his late 20s who volunteered a full five days a week.
“I felt a tug on my heart to do something to help the homeless in Williston,” he said during a volunteer shift in March 2014. “There are 10 guys here tonight – that’s 10 more friends that I have now. To see these guys walk through the door at night with a smile on their face, and to leave in the morning with a smile on their face, it’s incredible.”
Individuals, businesses, churches and other organizations in the Williston area are encouraged to volunteer for Project Heat, if only for one night.
“If everybody pitches in, we can ensure that no Project Heat guest winds up sleeping in the cold,” Stansbury said.
Filling needs
Project Heat is an important program because homelessness continues to rise in Williston. People from all over the country come to town on their last dime, hoping to land a six-figure job in the Bakken Oilfield. When they don’t find work, they become stranded and homeless.
Thankfully, the Williston Salvation Army and its supporters are a safety net for these people.
“We spend an average of $3,500 per month on gas vouchers for people living in their cars – they can’t afford to keep their vehicle running all night when it’s cold outside,” Stansbury said. “We also spend thousands on food, and bus tickets to help people in crisis return to their home states.”
The Williston Salvation Army has been providing these and other critical services to 250 percent more people since the oil boom began, from nearly 700 people in 2008 to almost 1,800 in 2013.