Utah County releases winter plan for unsheltered population

SALT LAKE– The Utah County Winter Response Task Force released their state-approved plan to help shelter its unsheltered population through the upcoming winter season.

The plan fulfills Utah’s code blue requirements, providing rotating warming shelters that will be open every night from October 15th through the end of April.

Utah County Commissioner Brandon Gordon said while this plan is required by the state, the motivation lies in the desire to help.

“Part of the plan is a requirement,” said Gordon. “But of course, the motivation always has been about taking care of the individuals and making sure that they have a warm place to go. Making sure they’re getting all of the support and services they need to get back on their feet.”

Warming shelters and other services

Three locations are listed to provide shelter every night on a rotating schedule.

• Monday & Tuesday: The Genesis Project Provo
  • 875 South 170 East, Provo
• Wednesday, Friday-Sunday: Utah County Red Building
  • 2855 South State St., Provo
• Thursday: Provo Seventh-Day Adventist Church
  • 255 South 700 East, Provo

Each shelter can host up to 75 persons a night and will be open from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. Parents with children will not stay at the shelters. Instead, they will be provided with hotel or other accommodations.

UTA bus day passes will be provided to help with transportation between shelters and services.

“Most of our locations are right by a bus stop. So we give them a bus pass and they’re able to get to where they need to go,” said Gordon. “Which is typically food and care, where they can get a warm meal those days.”

Professional staff will also be on hand at the warming shelters to connect individuals with local services, such as food pantries, job training, addiction recovery, warm meals, and permanent housing.

The county is looking for around 16 hundred volunteers to help at these shelters starting in October. Volunteers can sign up here. 

Read more:

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• Salt Lake County unveils game-changing criminal justice, homelessness reform plan
• Fire teams wade through shin-deep water in the Provo River to rescue stranded group
• The Other Side Donuts helps unsheltered Utahns one donut at a time