Colorado nonprofit aims to provide severe weather shelter space after Jeffco network closes

One Colorado nonprofit is working to provide overnight shelter space for unhoused people in Jefferson County. Nonprofit leaders say it's their religious duty to help their neighbors.

Mission Arvada's director Karen Cowling received some unwelcome news earlier this year. 

"The Severe Weather Shelter Network (SWSN) Board is faced with making a choice that is a heavy burden on their shoulders. After prayerful consideration and conversation, SWSN will be closing its doors," the email read. "We no longer have the financial means, and church involvement, to keep the shelters open. All SWSN staff are being released and the Board is in the process of fulfilling all outstanding obligations and shutting down responsibly."

The closure of SWSN puts a strain on Jefferson County nonprofits and the county itself to figure out possibilities for those on the streets before the winter comes. 

"It was a deep breath," said Cowling. "That was the only shelter -- it's actually the only sheltering that we have in Jefferson County for overnights."

Mission Arvada has made it a point to try and provide shelter where possible after a tragedy occurred just across the street from them some years ago.

"We actually had an individual that passed away right across the street from our church sitting up at the library and that was about five years ago," she remembered.  "We told ourselves that we will never allow that to happen in our midst if we can help it."

While Jefferson County is working to organize its own efforts with other nonprofits such as RecoveryWorks in Lakewood stepping up on their own. Mission Arvada is handling the northern part of the county, aiming to provide overnight shelter space if severe weather happens this year.

"We've gotten quite a bit of funding for the operational costs (so) we've decided we will open our building," said Cowling.

Thanks to participation from some area churches and the generosity of other community benefactors, Mission Arvada is retrofitting its gym to be up to the fire code and is now looking for volunteers to help run the overnight shelter. It's what Cowling says is central to their mission as the winter season is coming soon.

"Our mission is to help the poor, the homeless, the marginalized and the forgotten with the love of Jesus Christ," she said. "So that's what we're doing."