Inclement Weather Shelter

Citywide Inclement Weather Shelter Information

In the city of Irving, TX, during the winter season of 2021-22, on any day when the forecasted temperature low is expected to fall to 32 degrees or below the Irving Community Action Network (ICAN) shall implement its Inclement Weather Plan (IWP).

The purpose of the Inclement Weather Plan (IWP) is to provide the location(s), and emergency shelter for Irving street homeless living without a warm, dry, and safe place to escape the weather extremes.
Inclement weather is defined as when the temperature is forecasted to be below 32 degrees. This is based on temperature only and does not include wind chill or “real feel” temperature. In cases of other extreme weather forecasted (i.e., snow, ice, etc.) the emergency shelter may be opened at the discretion of the ICAN Inclement Weather Team Lead.
For the 2021-22 winter season, the emergency shelter shall be located at Christ Church 1750 E. Airport Freeway, Irving TX 75062. It will be housed in a 6,000 sq. ft. warehouse facility w/men’s and women’s restrooms, showers and lockers. It also includes plenty of space for our guests, including cots, intake, meal service, storage, etc.
SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS: The following individuals and organizations are working together in the Inclement Weather Shelter Working Group. This group is responsible for implementing and facilitating the Inclement Weather Plan in cooperation with ICAN and Christ Church.

Many Helping Hands -Lana Hansen & Pat O’Reilly
St. Vincent de Paul -Andrea Lambe
Level Pathways -Bob Harris
Bear Creek Church -Dennis Webb
Helping Around Town -Sheila Slade
Crisis Ministries -Ruby Sevcik
Family Promise -Aubrey White
CHRIST Church -Steve Allen

Inclement Weather Plan Details

Volunteers: Trained volunteers, at least one male, and one female will be onsite at all times. This includes overnight while the emergency shelter is active. Other volunteers may be utilized as needed.

New volunteers must have a basic criminal background check prior to being allowed to participate.
Volunteers from an ICAN Working Group organization who don’t have a background check are the liability responsibility of that organization.
To volunteer or for more information please go to CCRespond.com

Transportation: Upon implementation of the IWP, transportation providers will be alerted to have their vehicles at the designated location in downtown Irving by 5:30 pm.

Return transportation will be provided back to the initial pick-up location in downtown Irving beginning at 10:30 am the next morning.
During those days when consecutive 32 degrees or below temperatures are forecasted for Irving, the shelter will remain open. Daily pick-up at the designated location will take place but return transportation will not be available.

Coordinating with the City of Irving: The designated ICAN Working group member will notify the Irving Police via email of the implementation of the Inclement Weather Plan

Once notified the city is responsible to notify any other City agencies as needed.
Between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm, if people are found outdoors and are determined to have no place else to find shelter for the night, IPD will contact the ICAN Lead prior to bringing them to the emergency shelter location.
Drop-offs in the middle of the night are possible through ICAN Working Group organizations but not without prior approval by the overnight Emergency Shelter Lead.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner will be provided. Lunch will be included when the emergency shelter is open on consecutive days.

Pre-screened trained volunteers are welcome to help serve and clean up after meals. Monetary donations are also accepted and will be applied to defer meal costs. Donations may be made thru ICAN Working Group member organizations.

Basic Covid 19 Protocols:

Well-fitted masks will be worn at all times by volunteers and our guests (excluding sleeping)
All new shelter guests will be screened upon arrival at Inclement Weather Shelter. Upon arrival at Inclement Weather Shelter, all guests will be required to take a COVID-19 test.
Hand sanitizer (minimum 60% alcohol) will be available near points of entry and throughout the shelter.
Each guest will have a 6’ x 6’ square that will be considered their area. All cots will be set up head-to-toe to ensure a minimum of 6’space between individuals as recommended by the CDC.
To review overall COVID-19 protocols GO HERE

Case Management:

Case management, as provided by Family Promise and others, maybe offered to willing participants.
Available Irving homeless services will be shared with each of our guests.
All work on this level will take place between 8:30-10 am in the morning at the shelter.

Exceptions to the IWP:

Families – Following similar guidelines listed in this plan, families with children may be housed in a local motel.
Unaccompanied, Homeless Teens – At the present time there is no organization in Irving that is equipped to provide emergency shelter for unaccompanied, homeless teens 17 or under. When those cases occur, every effort will be made to work with other agencies in Dallas County, both private and governmental, to ensure that the homeless teenager is provided shelter during the inclement weather event.

How the Inclement Weather Plan and Shelter will function:

How the decision is made and the initial steps:

Using the AccuWeather app when before 10 AM the temperature in Irving is predicted to be 32 degrees or colder the ICAN Inclement Weather Team Lead will determine that the Inclement Weather Plan and Shelter will be going into effect for that day.
- All ICAN Working Group members, Shelter, and Meal Leads will be notified via text.
- Irving PD and Christ Church staff will be notified via email.
- All pre-registered homeless will be notified via a texting platform and signs will be posted at all homeless services providers.
- All Shelter Leads will then notify their volunteers via text and begin the process of filling the shelter volunteer roster for that evening.

Evening:

5:15-5:30pm- Vans and buses arrive at designated locations in downtown Irving to begin pick-up of our homeless friends. Due to COVID-19, masks for all volunteers and our guests will be required at this point.
Once our guests are dropped off at Christ Church they are seated observing 6’ social distancing in the main shelter gathering place and administered a COVID-19 test.
- If they test positive for COVID-19 they are isolated and will be transported either to Baylor, Scott and White Hospital Irving or to a local hotel for isolation.
All of those who haven’t pre-registered must fill out registration paperwork at this time.
Pets are signed-in and provided shelter *
All of our guests will be assigned a sleep area/cot, blanket, towel and locker.
6:30 Dinner will be served. Clean-up follows.
Shower, laundry and Case Management signup begins (6:30-9:30) at the Hospitality table. Showers are available in the evening from 7-9pm (men), 9-10pm (women) and in the morning from 7-8am (women) and 8-10am (men)
10pm Shelter quiet time in place. Only emergency lighting is available at this time.

Morning:

7am Shelter lights are all on and shelter quiet time is no longer in effect.
8am Breakfast will be served. Clean-up follows.
8:30am Case Management appointments begin.
9:30am Shelter cleanup begins.
10:30-11am Checkout then van loading begins. Everyone is transported back to downtown Irving.

**If the temperatures are forecasted to continue to be below freezing and the IWS continue consecutive days the following will be added.

9am-6pm TV's will be running showing movies in the main shelter gathering place.
12noon Lunch will be served. Clean-up follows

Volunteer Positions Available:

How successful we are at providing emergency shelter for Irving street homeless and a good experience for all rides on the work of our volunteers. Please consider joining our team today in one of the following areas:

Administrative Volunteers
Hospitality Volunteers
Transportation/Van Driver Volunteers
Meal Service/Clean-up Volunteers
Cleaning Volunteers
Overnight Volunteers

To volunteer or for more information please go to CCRespond.com

Are you connected to a business, organization or church that can help provide donations to make the Inclement Weather Shelter happen? If yes, GO HERE.