By Taylor M. Coffman
Herald Correspondent
The early onset of this year’s cold weather has come as a shock to many, and while most residents have finally turned on the heat, Seminole County’s homeless population runs the risk of being left out in the cold–literally. Luckily, that's where Rescue Outreach Mission has stepped
in.
As Seminole County’s only low-barrier homeless shelter, Rescue Outreach Mission normally houses over 100 people, including men, women, and children. However, with temperatures
dropping, the shelter is reportedly seeing an extra 25-30 guests per night, stretching the capacity to its limits.
Thankfully, Rescue Outreach Mission is also designated as an extended capacity cold weather shelter, which means that if the temperature drops below 40 degrees for more than three hours, they partner with the county’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to fit as many people as possible under a roof for the night. With the OEM providing extra cots and blankets, the shelter’s
dining room and family building are converted into temporary sleeping areas. Rescue Outreach Mission has even partnered with local churches to create “pop-up shelters” and ensure that no one is left to fend for themselves in the cold, even if the shelter is at capacity.
With this year’s cold snap hitting unexpectedly early, donations are more important than ever. Executive Director Chris Ham reports that the shelter has “been blessed with donations of blankets and coats from the community,”
but that they’re also open to donations of toiletries, specifically disposable ones like paper towels and toilet paper.
Aside from material donations, Rescue Outreach Mission is also looking for people willing to donate their time or money.
“We’re always open to opportunities for groups to come and help us
cook,” said Ham, who also added that the shelter will have served over 110,000 meals by the end of the year.
Much like the rest of us, the shelter’s utility bill will be feeling the impact of the cold weather.
While they welcome financial donations year-round, this year Rescue Outreach Mission has partnered with two benefactors, including Advent Health, who has vowed to match donations up to $60,000 through the end of the year.
According to Ham, the shelter’s biggest crutch when it comes to getting through the cold is community collaborations.
“I’m truly thankful we’ve got a great relationship here with our shelter, with Seminole County, with the Office of Emergency Management and the County Commissioners, and City of Sanford staff. We really collaborate together well to make sure that our neighbors are taken care of,” he said. “We’re fortunate that we live in the greatest county in the world.
”In the spirit of thankfulness, Rescue Outreach Mission is gearing up for the holidays, with a massive Thanksgiving meal planned–complete with a football game on TV–and a Christmas “shop” to give families staying at the shelter the ability to give each other holiday gifts. Anyone interested in helping out this holiday season can contact Rescue Outreach Mission at 407-321-8224, [email protected], or by visiting https://romcfl.org/donate/.
