Local shelters prepare for Wednesday blizzard
(ABC 6 News) – It’s the calm before the storm as Wednesday is set to be a full house at both The Landing MN and Salvation Army Day Centers as another winter storm approaches.
“If you need a place to go, the Salvation Army is one of those places to escape the elements,” said Rebecca Snapp, Director of Community Engagement at the Salvation Army.
But leaders at both centers need your help to make sure there is enough supplies for those who need it.
“We have men and women in all sorts of adult sizes. And we certainly don’t have enough of those things to be able to give them to everyone who we know is going to ask for them right now, so if people would be willing to think about those things, that would make a big difference for us tomorrow,” Snapp said.
The Landing MN officials say they’ve seen an increase of people using the center during the day when the weather is less than ideal.
“When we get extreme weather like blizzards or big snowfalls, what we see if a lot of people come and they stay put, and so we’ll get 60, 70, or 80 people in our building just here occupying space,” said Alex Hurlebaus, the executive director of the Landing.
That’s why they try to include more activities for those chilly days. It’s something Hurlebaus said he is ready to implement.
“We’ll bust out the art cart and just try to do a group activity so people are feeling engaged,” Hurlebaus said.
And even if you do have a home, you can always come to the Salvation Army to warm up.
“We want people to know that it’s not just open to that population of people. If people need the Salvation Army, they’re welcome there,” said Snapp.
I’m told by both the Landing and Salvation Army that they are still in need of supplies, and likely even more so after Wednesday. See below for what each organization is needing:
The Landing: Men’s jeans, adult size hooded sweatshirts
The Salvation Army: Waterproof winter boots, fleece blankets, lotion, hygiene supplies
A link to donate to the Landing is here.