Ventura, Calif. – As temperatures get colder, the City of Ventura is preparing to launch its winter response plan for homeless persons and asking for community donations for stay warm packs.
The Winter Weather Response Plan is co-sponsored by the City and the River Community Church and provides stay warm packs and temporary shelter to homeless persons during severe weather events, such as severe rain, wind or low temperatures. The program starts December 1 and runs through March 31, 2022.
“This is the second year the City’s Safe & Clean Program has partnered with local social service providers and nonprofits to provide outreach and support to our most vulnerable population,” said Rebecca Kofman, the Interim Safe & Clean Program Manager. “I’m excited to continue with another successful year.”
The City is accepting community donations to create ‘stay warm packs’ for Ventura’s unhoused individuals during harsh weather events. Needed donations include rain ponchos, blankets, jackets, hand-warmers, socks, toiletries, soft snacks, tarps, and carrying bags for items.
People interested in donating can bring materials to the River Community Church, located at 859 E. Santa Clara Street.
Monetary donations are also being accepted by mail. Checks should be labeled “Foul Weather” and mailed to 859 E. Santa Clara Street, Ventura, CA, 93001.
The City’s Winter Weather Response Plan also includes an emergency temporary shelter that can accommodate motel rooms for up to 20 individuals. Shelters will be activated at least 48 hours in advance when temperatures are projected to fall below 40 degrees or if weather projections show more than half an inch of rain overnight.
Priority will be given to homeless individuals who are 65 and older or live with chronic health conditions. All remaining motel rooms will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Individuals who receive a room must arrive at the River Community Church between 5p.m. and 6p.m. on the day of the weather event. Those who are unable to secure a room will receive stay warm packs.
To learn more about the Winter Weather Response Plan, please visit the City of Ventura’s Safe and Clean Program website at www.CityofVentura.ca.gov/SafeandClean or contact Rebecca Kofman, Interim Safe and Clean Program Manager, at [email protected].
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Media Contact: Heather Sumagaysay, Public Information Officer
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One or two night motel stays during cold weather makes a lot more sense than extended stays with encampment evictions. Alternatives for illegal encampments should include ‘Tiny Home Villages’, which are much more cost effective, not the wasteful misuse of state and federal gifts to local governments. The year round shelters are often under capacity on any given night. Combine cold weather sheltering with the longer stay folks at K Street, Oxnard, and other locations. It is great River Community Church is doing what they can. But, as service providers, like Mercy House, get rich, and local bureaucrats keep their well compensated jobs, without any accountability, the can just gets kicked down the road for solutions to homelessness.
My suggestion is that you support the River Community Church in their useful choice and get the city out of the way. Whenever any level of government gets involved supporting an endeavor, they usually put restrictions on the project that are not beneficial to the goals of the project.
Is this program not being taken care of by community groups without the draw on taxpayers?