A shortage of volunteers means Tuesday is likely the last night the Salvation Army operates its downtown warming station.
The emergency center opened Friday inside the Salvation Army’s downtown church following the city’s condemnation of the historic Bergmann Hotel.
Scores of tenants were displaced in freezing temperatures with 24 hours’ notice after the city ordered the evacuation of the residential hotel over numerous health and safety code violations in the 104-year-old building.
A total of 14 people spent the night in the Salvation Army shelter on Monday, which was originally slated to be the fourth and final night in the Salvation Army’s pilot program.
But the charity’s Lt. Lance Walters says extreme weather conditions and space shortages in Juneau’s downtown shelter caused them to extend the program.
“We decided to do one more day just to give people an opportunity to do more search for housing,” Walters said, “as well as some of those people that are unable to go into the Glory Hole to be able to get out of this weather that we’re experiencing.”
A shortage of volunteers has meant the warming center will likely not reopen this week until the Salvation Army finds people willing to help supervise the shelter overnight.
“We’re dependent on volunteers because my wife and I are currently finding that we just can’t not have sleep,” he said, “and we have to be there because we don’t have approved volunteers.”
The Salvation Army hopes to reopen the warming station soon from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on nights with dangerously low temperatures.
To volunteer, call the Salvation Army in Juneau at 586-2136.
