In December 2014, Brandon Feller of United Way and Beth Fetzer-Rice of the Salvation Army gave a presentation on local homelessness to the Delaware City Council. It was determined that the City would convene a working group to address the problem before winter, 2015. The working group included representatives from City Police, City Fire, City Management, City Council, United Way, Salvation Army, Helpline, Community Action Organization, Annie’s Outreach Center, Andrews House, Zion United Church of Christ, Family Promise and others. The group met monthly beginning in January 2015 to study the issue and identify potential solutions. The warming center began operating during the Winter of 2015-2016. Andrews House was designated as its fiscal agent, receiving cash contributions, disbursing funds, and maintaining general accounting for the center.
Today, Andrews House continues in the role of fiscal agent. Members of Zion United Church of Christ serve as coordinators to ensure smooth, consistent operation of the warming center. Governance and oversight are provided by a smaller working group of representatives from Andrews House, Zion United Church of Christ, United Way of Delaware County, HelpLine of Delaware and Morrow Counties, and the Delaware Police Department.
The warming center is located at Zion United Church of Christ, 51 West Central Avenue in Delaware, Ohio. As the mission statement implies, there are no fixed dates on which it operates. The chief coordinator, currently a member of Zion UCC, monitors the weather forecasts for temperatures predicted to fall to 20° F or below. He requests police coverage for those nights, and when this is confirmed, notifies the Director of the Delaware County Emergency Management Agency, who broadcasts an announcement as to when the warming center will be activated. Among the recipients of these broadcasts are representatives who place sandwich board signs outside in a prominent location. These locations are Zion UCC, Andrews House, Delaware County District Library main branch, Delaware City Hall, and Delaware City Fire Department main station.
On nights when the center is activated, doors on the Franklin Street side of Zion UCC provide entry, where a law enforcement officer (from the Delaware City Police or Delaware County Sheriff’s Office) provides security during the intake period from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Guests and their belongings are inspected for items which may be deemed unsafe, and standard police procedures are followed to secure any such items. Guests are offered food, and the center provides dry clothing, as needed. Guests are given a bedroll and “health pack” of toiletries, which become their property. A restroom is available adjacent to the sleeping room. Accommodation can be made for individuals with mobility issues. Guests receive a simple breakfast at 7:00 am, and are offered a pack of non-perishable food to take with them when they leave at 8:00 am for the day.
Although no shower facilities are available on site, we refer guests to the New Hope Baptist Church makes shower and laundry facilities available at their church, 74 Wootring Street, Delaware.
Due to the limitations of the space and budget, provision for women who present at A Place of Warmth has proved impractical. However, limited provisions have been made for sheltering women.