With temperatures expected to dip into the teens Wednesday night and even lower Thursday night, the Salvation Army is preparing to open its doors to help the homeless.
Major Luis Melendez said their building, 811 E. 10th Street, is now up to code after having been closed for several months and it’ll be functioning as an “emergency inclement weather temporary shelter” Wednesday and Thursday night.
Folks needing assistance will be served dinner 5-6 p.m. both nights and can register for an overnight stay up to 9 p.m., Melendez said. They’ll need to fill out an application and have identification, he said.
A continental breakfast will be served in the mornings, he said.
The shelter received permission to reopen from the city Jan. 25 and temperatures dipped below freezing the following two days, he said. Three men stayed overnight Jan. 26 and six men and one woman stayed Jan. 27.
Due to COVID-19, the shelter can’t exceed 75% capacity or roughly 40 people, Melendez said. People will be required to wear masks.
Melendez said unfortunately, the shelter can’t stay open seven days per week because of a lack of funding and volunteers.
It’s difficult to gauge the number of homeless in Odessa, but the Salvation Army serves 12-25 people dinner Monday through Saturday, he said.
