In partnership with the City of Kent and Catholic Community Services (CCS), Kent Lutheran Church serves as one of the South King County locations for a SWS when the City of Kent declares the conditions warrant the need. In partnership with Catholic Community Services, KLC is prepared to open its doors to homeless people between November and March. It is also the only emergency shelter in S. King County with a generator if there is a power outage affecting the downtown Kent area.
The shelter will be activated by the City of Kent Housing and Human Services Manager when low temperatures fall below 32 degrees for 24 or more consecutive hours and/or snow accumulation exceeding or expected to exceed 3 inches in depth and/or other conditions deemed severe enough to present a substantial threat to life or health of homeless persons.
Kent Lutheran Church’s role
(1) From November 1 through March 31, when the City declares that a severe weather condition exists that necessitates the opening of a severe weather shelter, the City will ask Kent Lutheran to open a shelter to house up to 50 individuals while the severe weather condition exists. Men will be housed together in one room, women will be housed together in another room, and families will be housed together in a third area.
(2) Kent Lutheran will operate the severe weather shelter according to the following general schedule:9 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. – The shelter will remain open to receive clients
(3) Kent Lutheran will supply volunteers to prepare shelter mats for use; prepare meals for shelter residents; sanitize, clean, and store shelter mats; and clean the shelter area. Volunteers will also help to monitor over-night shelter with guidance of the paid CCS staff.
(4) Kent Lutheran will accept residents who are referred to Kent Lutheran by service providers, emergency services, faith groups, walk-ins, or other referrals.