SPOKANE, Wash. — Today marks the official opening of the anticipated South Cannon Warming Center that Jewels Helping Hands was contracted to run.
The early parts of the day came with a line forming outside and supporters rolling through with donations. Check-in for the night began at 4:00 p.m.
“It’s been a long road but we got here,” JHH founder Julie Garcia said.
Jewels see this is as the first step in helping the homeless community stay warm during the winter. Right now, the center can only house 30 people overnight as the rest of the building is completed and brought up to city standards.
Until that's completed, a bus will be provided for those who can't be accommodated for the night. That bus will take them to any available facility in Spokane that has open beds.
“I think that’s important for these guys,” Garcia said. “To have a support system and just somebody around that they can just be who they are and loves them exactly where they are at.”
Over the last month, the opening of this warming center has been in question and there’s been lots of going back and forth between the city and Jewels.
An additional 60 beds will be available once renovations are complete. The city expects to be finished by December, but Jewels is hoping for this to be completed in the coming week.
“Where they can come in and get some rest. Get their basic needs met and then bring in the services that they need to help them end their cycle of homelessness," Garcia said.