County COAD looking for volunteers, support

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Jim Peters

HANCOCK COUNTY — This week Indiana will experience some of the coldest air heading into the winter season with overnight temperatures projected into the high 20- to low 30-degree range on many nights.

For most folks, the cold weather is just a gentle reminder winter is around the bend. For people who are homeless, it can be a real life-threatening situation.

Officials with the Hancock County Community Organization Active In Disaster (COAD) have a couple of things on tap coming up where community members can help out the homeless in varying ways.

Officials with the COAD are hosting a meeting to recruit volunteers to work at warming centers this winter and they’re holding a fundraiser to purchase items for the homeless who visit warming shelters.

Last winter there were 60 nights where temperatures reached below 30 degrees in the county. Officials were able to open shelter doors 57 of those nights. In order to do so again this season, they need at least seven volunteers each night they are open, not counting the volunteers at host sites and working with other partners.

“Those are the facts,” COAD director Jim Peters said. “Here is the reality — we need lots more volunteers if we are going to be able to open this year.”

The COAD will hold a meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25 at the Greenfield Christian Church, 23 N. East St., Greenfield in downtown. The agenda will be to discuss needed changes in procedures. They will also brainstorm ways to recruit more volunteers. Anyone who has a desire to help the homeless is asked to attend and bring a friend.

Peters noted, the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen, 202 E. Main St, Greenfield, will remain as the informational, communication location where people can find out what shelter is open this winter. But, they hope to have several locations, including at least three churches throughout the week and the Landing, 18 W. South St., Greenfield on Saturday nights open for the homeless or anyone in need of finding warm shelter.

“We’ve got three church locations right now we hope to use and rotate depending on what their schedules are,” Peters said. “In order to keep these shelters working properly, we really do need more volunteers, particularly men.”

On nights when it doesn’t get down the 30 degrees or lower, the Hancock County Hope House, 35 E. Pierson St., Greenfield will have places where a small number of people can go for an overnight stay. Those folks should reach out to the executive director at Hancock Hope House, Andrea Mallory via 317-467-4991 for more information.

As for the fundraisers to support the COAD warming centers, Costas Stylianou, the owner of Costas’ Grill and two Lincoln Square Pancake House businesses has been gracious enough Peters said, to allow the COAD to hold a fundraiser at both of his Lincoln Square Pancake House locations in Hancock County Friday, Oct. 21.

Officials from the COAD will be manning a table at each location, Lincoln Square Pancake House, 118 W. Main St., Greenfield and Lincoln Square Pancake House, 901 E. Broadway St., Fortville. Peters said they’re looking for people to help at each location from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. They’ll be collecting money to purchase supplies needed to help the homeless as well as collecting donations.

“We’re hoping maybe people will stop by, get some information about what we do and sign-up to volunteer at our warming shelters or give a donation,” Peters said.

Anyone who can volunteer at the fundraisers or wants to volunteer at a warming center please reach out to Peters at the Hancock County COAD Team, www.HancockCOAD.org or call 317-372-2304.