- Logan's William A. Burnard Warming Center seeks $20,000 for additional staff.
- Demand for shelter has increased since opening on Nov. 30 due to cold weather.
- The center served 76 individuals in December and needs more space and staff.
LOGAN — Leaders at a northern Utah warming center for people experiencing homelessness say they're in need of more paid staffing to accommodate the increasing number of people utilizing its services.
Heather Crockett, executive director of the William A. Burnard Warming Center, says since they've opened for the season on Nov. 30, the number of people needing overnight shelter has continued to rise.
The Burnard Warming Center is housed in a dedicated space inside St. John's Episcopal Church and sees an average of about 30 people per night, according to Crockett. She said so far, the most they've served in one night is about 40 people — which is just shy of its current capacity.
Amid Utah's recent bone-chilling weather conditions, Crockett anticipates an even bigger increase that she fears will lead to turning people away.
"So we're getting to the point where I know that within the next few weeks, we're going to have to be like, 'Sorry, there's no room,'" she said.
In response to the growing need, Crockett said the church has offered an additional upstairs classroom, which would allow them to expand shelter capacity by about 20 additional people.
But that also means they need more paid staff members.
Though the Burnard Warming Center operates primarily through volunteers, Crockett said the overnight hours from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. must be staffed by paid support personnel to ensure safety and continuity of care for its guests.
"I just have to hire that other overnight support staff, and I don't have that in my budget right now to be able to do so," she told KSL.
Crockett said they need to raise $20,000 to help fund the hiring of two additional overnight staff members needed so the warming center can accommodate more people.
"The last thing we want to do is turn someone away on a freezing night," she added. "Every dollar raised helps us keep our doors open, our guests safe, and our community cared for during the coldest months of the year."
Crockett said they've reached out to elected officials in Cache County to see what sort of funding may be available, but she also hopes community members can help.
"The need is clear. In December alone, the WAB Warming Center served 76 unique individuals and provided 792 nights of emergency shelter," she said.
The warming center is expected to remain open each night of the week through mid-April.
Those who feel compelled to help in the effort are asked to visit the center's website.
