WHEELING, W.Va (WTRF) – Cold temperatures are making their way to the Ohio Valley and winter is right around the corner.
Wheeling city officials recently made the decision to extend the homeless camp in East Wheeling until this Winter Freeze Shelter opens.
For the fourteenth year, organizations throughout Wheeling are working together to serve the homeless during the harsh winter months.
This year, The Life Hub is excited to announce the shelter will be at their brand-new location at 35-16th Street in downtown Wheeling – as they are converting the former First English Lutheran Church Building.
“It provides a place for them where they are safe, a place for them to be warm. A place for us to help provide services for them, for them that are needed in terms of housing, mental health, addiction, all of those kinds of things that we have with our homeless. Plus, it helps the community and having the homeless people off of the streets and some of the frustrations that come along with that.”
Melissa Adams | Wheeling Homeless Liaison, Interim Executive Director, The Life Hub
“We plan to run it the same as we did last year. Individuals will be able to come in in the evening and it’ll be a probably earlier than last year. But we haven’t designated the time yet. But they’ll be able to come in in the evening. We will provide some minor snacks, but the whole purpose is for them to come in, be warm and sleep.”
Joyce Wolen | Executive Director, Wheeling Housing Authority
They are in the process of hiring people and renovating the building.
Life Hub operations are fully supported by grant funding and donations.
If you’re interested in helping, checks can be made out to The Life Hub and mailed to P.O. Box 2089, Wheeling, WV 26003.
Electronic donations can be made online by visiting lifehubwv.org.
In a few weeks, 7News will go back to highlight the new shelter, so be sure to stay with WTRF for those updates.
