Hours change, needs evolve for local homeless shelter
Volunteer staffing for the local Servants of Shelter for the area’s homeless is now a concern, according to Pat Bjorum of the SOS task force.
Bjorum extends appreciation to a community which has already demonstrated compassion for those with no current place to call “home,” but she told The Journal that she must also continue the call for community volunteers.
While getting the word out was one of the task force’s initial challenges, SOS is now lodging area homeless on a fairly regular basis, Bjorum reports. Presently, the biggest issue facing SOS is avoiding burnout for the about 20 volunteer hosts who continue the commitment to stay with guests at the shelter sites.
While more than 100 volunteers were trained for the assignment, only about one-fifth of that number are serving on a continuous basis, Bjorum reports.
“This is a heavy load for these generous persons,” Bjorum said, explaining that SOS is urgently in need of either new volunteers or trained volunteers to step forward.
“This project came to fruition because of the response of the community. And I believe each person who came to volunteer training expected that they were part of a large pool — that many hands make the load lighter.”
If each trained volunteer would volunteer just one shift a month, then the commitment would happen infrequently, she explained.
The situation has resulted in schedule changes for SOS, which is currently operated at rotating shelters established at Faith United Church, Evangelical Covenant Church and Kootasca Community Action.
“Because we are concerned that our volunteers may burn out,” the task force made the difficult decision to change to a four-day week for the summer,” Bjorum explained, announcing that the shelter is now open Monday through Thursday only, from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m.
“This decision was not made lightly.” Bjorum noted. But the schedule has decreased the number of necessary shifts donated by volunteers, from three to two shifts — 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. and 10 p.m. - 7 a.m.
“This is a change that not only helps with the volunteer load, but also seems to resonate with our guests,” she said. “During the nicer weather and with more daylight hours, our guests seem to prefer not to check in as early; and most of our guests leave the shelter in the early morning whatever the time of year.”
Bjorum encourages college students who are home for the summer to volunteer time to host at the shelters. “This is a group of young people who have energy and commitment to helping those in need,” she said.
Any persons not yet trained, but interested in being a volunteer, even if only for the summer, should call Mary Harms or Bjorum at the St. Thomas Office at 283-3293, or Amy Mortenson at Kootasca, 283-5220.
Any persons already trained but who have been unavailable and now find that they could increase their commitment and sign up for a shift, should call the St. Thomas Office or email stthomasa@frontiernet.net.
“It is such a great help to Mary when volunteers call her each week to let her know of their availability,” Bjorum said.
Bjorum remarked that the task force and volunteers are still learning. “Not everything has gone along according to our expectations,” she said, “but we feel that the ‘greatest risk would have been no risk at all’ in trying to serve our local homeless persons.
“We are grateful to have tried and to continue trying to maintain a viable project.”
