Updated, Jan. 20–Shelter will also be open this evening, Fri., Jan. 20.

Because of the snowstorm and its accompanying cold temperatures, the City of Kent is opening the Kent Severe Weather Shelter at the Kent Lutheran Church tonight, Jan. 18 through Fri., Jan. 20. Here are the details:

Location:  Kent Lutheran Church, 336 2nd Ave. S., Kent, WA  98032

Check-in and registration:  9 p.m.  (all guests must register)

Shelter closes, guests must leave:  7 a.m.

The shelter is giving priority to homeless families with children who are living on the streets or in their vehicles. Men and women without children are also welcome. There is separate sleeping space available for families, men and women.

The Severe Weather Shelter is operated by Catholic Community Services staff and volunteers from the Kent Lutheran Church and Kent community.

To locate shelters in Renton, Federal Way, Bellevue and Seattle, dial 2-1-1.

If you know of a homeless person or family who needs shelter, please share this information with them.

Contributed by Megan Hilfer for Farrington Court

Farrington Court is hosting a Community Christmas Dinner with Elohim Ministries at Kent Lutheran Church this Saturday, Dec. 17^th.  They will feed over 200 homeless and low-income families in the Kent area.

The dinner starts at 6pm, and the menu features ham and all the trimmings.  They have received many donations from the community but are still in need of some hams, as well as more volunteers to help serve.  If you can donate or volunteer, please contact Farrington Court for more information at (253) 852-2737.

This is the first year Farrington Court has hosted the Community Christmas Celebration.

The City of Kent is activating the Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) tonight at Kent Lutheran Church for the evenings of Monday January 10, Tuesday January 11, and Wednesday January 12 due to predicted dangerously low temperatures and snow.

Kent Lutheran Church
336 2nd Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032-5849

9 P.M. – Check-in and registration

7 A.M. – shelter closes, clients must vacate

Priority is given to homeless families with children who are living on the streets or in vehicles, but the SWS is also available for single women and men. The SWS will be operated by Catholic Community Services staff, and volunteers from Kent Lutheran Church and the Kent community.

The SWS will open at 9 P.M. Clients must register at the door. As with all shelters, rules for the health and safety of all clients and staff and the broader community will apply.

Please help distribute this announcement.

City of Kent, Housing and Human Services
253-856-5070

Thanks to Victoria Andrews for providing this news update. Contract Ms. Andrews with questions at 206-824-3966 or 253-856-5113 or contact her by email.

Kent Sunrise Rotary to Dedicate Shower Trailer on July 8

KENT, Wash. – June 24, 2010 – With construction provided by a group of dedicated, talented volunteers and a Rotary district grant of $8,000, the Kent Sunrise Rotary Club is donating a new portable shower trailer to help homeless men in Kent.  The trailer will be dedicated on Thursday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Kent Lutheran Church, 336 2nd Avenue South.

Working at a local shed donated for the build, the volunteer team, lead by Dave Anderson, outfitted a purchased trailer with two shower stalls. The trailer will be moved to sponsoring churches in the area serving the homeless.  Catholic Community Services will coordinate services, and the project is endorsed by Valley Cities Counseling and the City of Kent Housing and Human Services Division.

Guest speaker at the dedication will be Richard LeMieux, author of Breakfast at Sally’s, the account of one homeless man’s experience.  The book was written on a second-hand manual typewriter when LeMieux was forced to live in his minivan after his business failed.  Sally’s was the soup kitchen at the Salvation Army in Bremerton.

The Kent Sunrise Rotary Club is part of Rotary International, a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace worldwide. There are about 1.2 million club members in more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas.  Our motto is “Service Above Self.”  Weekly breakfast programs with local and visiting speakers offer education, fellowship and fun.

The City of Kent is activating Severe Weather Shelter at Kent Lutheran Church.

Kent Lutheran Church, 9 P.M. to 7 A.M.
336 2nd Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032-5849

9 P.M.  – Check-in and registration
7 A.M. – shelter closes, clients must vacate

The severe weather shelter (SWS) will be in operation Monday night 12/07/09 and Tuesday night 12/08/09. Priority is given to homeless families with children who are living on the streets or in vehicles, but the SWS will also be available for single women and men.  The SWS will be operated by Catholic Community Services staff, and volunteers from Kent Lutheran Church.

Doors for the SWS will open at 9 P.M.  Clients must register at the door.  As with all shelters, rules for the health and safety of all clients and staff and the broader community will apply.

Please spread the word

SAFETY & SECURITY in DOWNTOWN KENT

KDP’s Safety & Security Committee along with the Youth Services Center is hosting an evening for our businesses to share their concerns about our homeless youth.  Learn tools to communicate better with our youth and learn of the options our homeless youth have.

This is an opportunity for you, as a business, to educate yourselves while continuing your efforts to make a difference in downtown Kent.

The meeting will be held at the Kent Lutheran Church, on August 6^th, Thursday, from 5-7 PM.

Please, make time to attend this meeting so that we can all deal with our homeless youth together. Thank you.

John Hinds & Garry Stewart, Chair
Mike Heinisch, Executive Director