COLD WEATHER SHELTERS OPEN NOW? SHELTER ORG NATIONAL DATABASE

Our blog focuses on SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, otherwise known as SUNNY CALIFORNIA.  People from all over the country come here from places where the rain, snow, and ice make homelessness almost unlivable.  LOS ANGELES COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST HOMELESS POPULATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. 

Since late summer we've been looking for news of any COLD WEATHER SHELTERS that will or won't be open in Southern California and when.  Usually by October 15th to the 2nd of the month NATIONAL ARMORIES in SOME COMMUNITIES open.    COLD WEATHER SHELTERS ARE JUST THAT, shelters that open and close for the WINTER SEASON.  Depending on the part of the country you're in there may be variations.

We know that there are a lot of databases with lists of shelters on the Internet and you can run a Search through this GOOGLE BLOGGER also.  (The search block is on the left side bar.)

Here is a NATIONAL LIST SHELTER LISTINGS ORG

WE KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN HOMELESS BEFORE YOU MAY ACTUALLY THINK THAT WHAT YOU DO IS LOCATE THE CLOSEST HOMELESS SHELTER and GO THERE AND YOU'RE IN.  Since there are thousands more homeless people than there are shelter beds this is simply not true.  There are months long waiting lists.   If you are healthy,  if you are single and childless, you may be left to fend for yourself.  This is really dangerous, especially for women who are not even in vehicles. 

If you are newly homeless or have never approached a shelter to get in, you may or may not have gotten information on the street from others.  COLD WEATHER SHELTERS usually mean sleeping on a cot that you put up and take down, getting up early, leaving for who knows where, and coming back at sundown.  You either haul your possessions all day or maybe rent a storage unit.  SOME COLD WEATHER SHELTERS HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS WHO MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU.  Their help may be limited to referrals to other organizations. 

We have two PAGES that provide you some information, things the newly homeless probably have never thought of.  ONE OF THEM IS CALLED QUESTIONS TO ASK THE SHELTER.  Another is called WHAT MAKES A GOOD CASE MANAGER.