Dallas prepares Fair Park shelter ahead of winter storm
With the clock racing until the freezing precipitation arrives, there is a sense of urgency at Fair Park's automobile building. At 4 p.m. on Friday, it will open as the city's inclement weather shelter.
"We have volunteers here setting up cots. We have blankets, we have pallets of food and water on its way," said Pastor Wayne Walker, the CEO of Our Calling. "We even have some showers we're going to be setting up inside the building to make sure our neighbors have a safe place to go."
Our Calling, along with Austin Street Center, are the nonprofits tapped by the City of Dallas to manage the process of sheltering the unhoused. It's a new approach this year that aims to improve efficiency and serve more people in need.
"The City of Dallas is stellar as a partner, to be able to provide the resources and the facility that we need to be able to pull this off," said Walker. "It's their constituents within this community. And we get to come together to put something together that's going to just care for people, to keep them safe."
He said the extra hands have been a blessing. Many groups began signing up as soon as they heard news of the approaching winter storm.
"Yeah, it made me think like, this is going to be a thing... like four, three years ago," said Mark, volunteering with a group of Baylor Nursing Students. While dates become fuzzy, no one has forgotten 2021's Winter Storm URI.
Nursing student Brynn Munoz is volunteering and excited about caring for her community.
"To know that each one of these beds will all be filled by someone that needs a home and needs a blanket and a pillow and food... It's awesome," she said.
Our Calling still needs extra hands and help. They've put an Amazon Wish List on their website, ourcalling.org/cold.
"Any resources that you want to donate to be able to help our neighbors, take them directly to Our Calling on Cesar Chavez," said Walker. "We are collecting coats, we're collecting blankets. We're collecting sweat pants of all sizes to be able to care for and be able to reclothe neighbors who come in wet from the weather."
Organizers ask that you not bring food or donations to Fair Park and to please consider the possible consequences of well-intentioned sidewalk generosity.
"So giving them a cord of firewood or a case of water sounds like a great idea, but it actually will keep someone there under that bridge and expose them to this weather," said Walker. "We need people in a warm, safe space. Unfortunately, we will probably lose a few neighbors this year that will die in this weather because they're going to try to tough it out."
They're asking the community to download the Our Calling app to report occupied encampments or anyone outside needing a safe place to stay. Professionals will also be on hand at the shelter, looking to give the unhoused a path to stability as well.
"The goal here is not just to cot people and give them hot food," said Walker. "The goal is to be able to work with them to help them get off the streets. That's what loving your neighbor looks like."
