House to Home remained busy due to the freezing temperatures on Monday. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

PARKERSBURG — As a prolonged cold snap grips the Mid-Ohio Valley, shelters and service organizations across Wood and Washington counties are coordinating extended hours, warming stations and emergency placements to ensure people experiencing homelessness have access to shelter, food and basic necessities during dangerous winter conditions.

In Parkersburg, House to Home and The Gathering have implemented a coordinated schedule during periods of extreme cold to provide near-continuous coverage. When overnight temperatures fall to 20 degrees or below, The Gathering, located on Latrobe Street, opens from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., while House to Home extends its daytime hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“We’re doing opposite hours of them,” said Pastor Melody Smith of The Gathering. “So they’re doing 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and we’re doing 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.”

Smith said guests at The Gathering can rest on cots or sit indoors overnight and have access to showers, laundry facilities, food and coffee throughout the night.

House to Home also activates additional cold-weather hours when overnight temperatures dip below 32 degrees but remain above 20.

Under those conditions, the shelter opens at 3 a.m., including weekends, operating from 3 to 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, according to Crystal Belisky, vice president of the Parkersburg Homelessness Action Council and a representative with House to Home.

“We’ve been building a crisis plan for a few months now and coordinating with other shelters to ensure all of our unhoused clients have access to warmth,” Belisky said.

Beyond emergency shelter, House to Home provides meals, showers, laundry services, clothing and cold-weather gear, along with case management services. Belisky said staff assist with employment referrals, substance-use treatment connections, transportation coordination and access to vital records such as driver’s licenses and Social Security cards.

Demand for services has continued to rise, both organizations said. Smith noted the number of people served daily at The Gathering has roughly doubled over the past year.

“A year ago at this time, we were serving probably 25 to 30 a day, and now we’re serving anywhere from 40 to 60, depending on the weather and what’s going on,” Smith said.

At the Latrobe Street Mission, warming services are available whenever overnight temperatures fall to 32 degrees or below, Assistant Director Michelle Bearhs said. The mission provides beds and hot meals daily, with brunch served from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and dinner served nightly, seven days a week.

“This past week, we’ve definitely filled a lot more beds,” Bearhs said, adding that the mission has also seen increased demand for meals, including from families.

In Washington County, the Washington County Homeless Project has also taken steps to keep people out of the cold, said Robin Bozian, chairperson of the project. With assistance from the Marietta Community Foundation, some individuals were placed in temporary lodging through the night, Bozian said.

“As of tonight, our folks are okay tonight,” she said.

When temperatures drop further, the organization plans to transport individuals to shelters in Parkersburg, including the Latrobe Street Mission and the Salvation Army, Bozian said.

The Washington County Homeless Project operates a daytime resource center at 274 Front St. in Marietta. The center is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. During those hours, individuals can access meals, showers, laundry facilities, clothing and other supplies.

“We give everybody a meal,” Bozian said. “They have access to laundry, showers, clothing, supplies — anything that they might need.”

Community donations remain critical to sustaining cold-weather efforts across the region. At The Gathering, Smith said food supplies are currently stable thanks to weekly deliveries coordinated by the Parkersburg Homelessness Action Council, but bottled water and blankets are ongoing needs.

“A lot of those end up going with them when they leave,” Smith said.

House to Home is seeking volunteers to help staff extended hours, Belisky said, as well as donations of cold-weather gear, particularly boots and coats. Donations can be coordinated through House to Home’s Facebook page or by calling the shelter at 304-893-5353.

At the Washington County Homeless Project, Bozian said the most urgent needs include sleeping bags, small tents and gloves. Donations can be dropped off at 274 Front Street in Marietta.

The Latrobe Street Mission also continues to seek volunteers for kitchen, front desk and organizational support, along with food and monetary donations. Contributions can be made in person or through the mission’s website.

Organizers across both counties emphasized that cold-weather hours are tied closely to overnight temperatures and encouraged residents to check conditions regularly.

“Our goal is to make sure no one has to be out in the cold,” Belisky said.

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com