Hundreds of people across Dallas County experiencing homelessness will be welcomed with blankets, sleeping cots and plenty of snacks and food in shelters.
Among those opening their doors for people in need is Austin Street Center. Under orders from the City of Dallas, the nonprofit will activate its former shelter early Thursday afternoon.
“We are going to be partnering with OurCalling to operate this shelter for the next few days as long as the weather stays below freezing,” Teresa Thomas said. Thomas serves as the director of advancement communications for the Austin Street Center.
Austin Street and OurCalling are the official partners for the City of Dallas’ Winter Weather Shelter Plan. Dallas City Council approved the resolution on December 14.
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Austin Street will provide the space located at 2929 Hickory Street, sleeping cots for more than 350 people as well as a shuttle service.
“We're going to be operating shuttles throughout Dallas County to pick up people from designated areas,” Thomas said.
There are about a dozen pickup locations throughout three designated zones. The three designated zones include:
- South of Interstate 30.
- The Central Business District based at the West End Transit Station.
- The Medical District and Forrest Lane areas based at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church.
According to Thomas, drivers will get a text to advise them where people are waiting for transportation.
Ali Hendricksen, development manager for OurCalling, said they have several forms of outreach to help clients find shelters.
“A lot of our homeless neighbors here in Dallas do have cellphones and email addresses,” Hendricksen said. ”OurCalling has about 7,000 contacts in our database so, we’ll be sending out emails and text messages to our homeless friends to come here to our inclement weather shelter.”
They are also spreading the word about the organization’s support app found in the Google Pay and Apple Store.
“If you were homeless, you can pull up the app, and based on your location, it is pulling up all the different places you can go to,” Hendricksen said. “(The app shows) what times you can arrive and what they offer.”
Volunteers with OurCalling will take outreach one step further through their "search and rescue" team.
“We have a fleet of vans,” Hendricksen said. “They'll be going out all throughout Dallas reaching people who are in tents, in their cars, behind liquor stores and under bridges and meeting with them one on one.”
The shelter will likely stay open past Christmas Day therefore, Hendricksen hopes the community send in words of encouragement for those experiencing homelessness during the holidays.
The notes of encouragement will be shown on the screens inside the temporary shelter.
To submit a note, click here.
Blankets, towels and hygiene products can be dropped off at 2929 Hickory Street or at 1702 S Cesar Chavez Blvd. Thursday-Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
ONLINE: To read more about The City of Dallas’ Winter Weather Shelter Plan, click here.
