While many in the South Sound gathered around the fireplace or the big-screen TV to pass the time Wednesday, others with no home of their own waited out the storm in shelters.
Tiffany Harris, 21, spent the night at a friend’s house Tuesday and was planning to sleep there again Wednesday night.
During the day, she hung out at the Rescue Mission on South Tacoma Way, trying to stay warm and get some food.
Waiting in the lunch line next to her was 23-year-old Carter Sturgess, who has been living and volunteering at the mission for a few months. A former carnival worker, he said he’s hoping eventually to make it back home to Georgia.
“Other than that, I’ve been biding my time, trying to find different jobs,” he said.
The mission’s goal is to turn no one away in times of severe weather, said emergency services director Brian Eggers. He said about 200 people spent the night at the South Tacoma Way shelter Tuesday, about 20 more than a typical night. Some slept on cots or mats on the floor.
While the South Tacoma Way shelter serves men, the mission also operates its Family Campus on South Adams Street. That facility for women and kids opened in November 2010.
“We are at full capacity 99.9 percent of the time,” said director Chris Croft. Maximum capacity is 114 beds, and emergency cots are used during severe weather.
Volunteer Cal Beekman took two buses from Parkland to help at the Adams Street shelter Wednesday.
“I didn’t want to leave the staff here by themselves, without coverage,” he said from behind the front desk.
In East Pierce County, a network of 11 churches and some 150 volunteers helps shelter the homeless through the Freezing Nights program. About 50 people stayed at the Summit United Methodist Church on Tuesday night, said coordinator Greta Brackman.
The Nazarene Church in downtown Puyallup opened its doors all day Wednesday to help those without shelter stay warm.
This week’s snowstorm has been some of the worst of the winter, but the Rev. Chris Morton of Associated Ministries said his agency has declared weather emergencies several times this season when temperatures dipped or when high winds or heavy rain hit.
The ecumenical, faith-based group is the designated agency that declares weather emergencies in Pierce County. The declaration allows shelters to expand their capacities and make room for more people. And when that extended capacity is surpassed, agencies can issue hotel vouchers to the homeless.
Morton said the need is acute in East Pierce County, where churches that had been serving 10 to 15 people a night are now being asked to serve 40 or more.
Back at the Rescue Mission in Tacoma, both Sturgess and Harris said they were glad to have a place to go to get out of the snow Wednesday.
“Sometimes it gets aggravating,” said Sturgess. “Sometimes there’s too much drama. But there are others that are good, kind, nice people staying here.”
Debbie Cafazzo: 253-597-8635 debbie.cafazzo @thenewstribune.com
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