Seeking shelter? Berea, Richmond organizations offer warmth, food - Richmond Register

With temperatures dropping as low as negative 5 degrees this week, those living in Madison County without a home can find solace in shelters in Richmond and Berea.

For those who are in Berea, Room In The Inn provides shelter from the bone-chilling cold and potential snow. The volunteer-run rotating winter shelter will be open today through March 15. In order for one to be eligible for shelter, guests must register nightly at the intake location at 412 Chestnut St., Berea, between 5 and 6 p.m. This will be the only registration time available in order to be eligible for shelter that night.

Those who stay the night will receive a hot meal and breakfast, as well as a sack meal to take with them the next morning.

RITI Berea has partnered with local churches and congregations, community organizations and individuals to host the inns in their facilities on a rotating basis. More than 50 volunteers have been trained to provide critical support, with continued efforts to provide training classes to those who'd like to help out. The effort has involved the business sector also, with local businesses donating supplies or agreeing to donate meals.

Volunteering comes in many capacities. Interested persons can email the organization directly to let them know how they would like to help. The kinds of help RITI needs are people with cars or vans to transport the shelter guests from the intake location to the inn for the night or from the inn in the morning, or to transport supplies during the daytime.

RITI is still seeking locations to serve as inns as well as innkeepers to watch over the guests. Volunteers are still needed to help make or buy food to serve at the inns as well as do laundry and to work at the intake location.

The organization is still accepting donations and is looking for backpacks or gym bags, thin fleece blankets, pillows, plastic or vinyl pillow protectors, personal hygiene items in small sizes, thick socks, coats, hats, thick gloves, any size clean underwear for men and women and personal hygiene supplies for women. Also helpful are other warm clothes in good condition, small-sized hand sanitizers, thermal underwear and single-serve snacks of all kinds.

Items can be dropped off at the First Christian Church on Chestnut Street in the glassed-in breezeway, to the right of the main front door. Please mark items "for RITI." Interested persons can contact RITI Berea at 929-515-RITI (7484) or at riti.berea@gmail.com to learn more.

In Richmond, those looking for shelter from the harsh weather can go to the Salvation Army, located at 1675 E. Main St. According to Lieutenant Dominique Darby, an individual can stay at the shelter for up to 30 consecutive days once every six months. Though any homeless person, even if they've already stayed at the shelter within that time frame, can still stay during white flag hours.

All that is needed is a picture ID, be 18 or older and the individual has to not be on the sex offender registry list. Those who stay at the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter can expect a dinner and breakfast, access to shower and laundry, and a place to lay their head.

During regular weather conditions, the shelter can hold up to 19 people, but during the white flag nights, where temperatures reach below freezing, the shelter has cots it can use.

Shelter doors open at 6 p.m. each night to check in individuals.

The First Presbyterian Church Telford Warming Station offers free warm beverages such as coffee, tea or hot chocolate, along with a warm place to work puzzles, word games, crafts, magazines and books. Free Wi-Fi is available, too.

Warm clothing items, such as hats, gloves and scarves, will be provided to those in need.

The Warming Station is located at 330 W. Main St. in the Christian Life Center of First Presbyterian Church and will be open every Monday and Wednesday from 12:30-4 p.m. and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on White Flag Days when the temperature is at or below 32 degrees. There will be an open sign to let people know if they are available.

For more information, check each of the respective shelters' Facebook pages. For RITI, visit https://www.facebook.com/Room-In-The-Inn-Berea-2306539199405272. For the Salvation Army, visit https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyRichmondKY.

Reach Kaitlyn Brooks at 624-6608; follow her on Twitter @kaitlynskovran.