The space in Fair Park will hold 900 cots and organizers will begin intake Sunday afternoon. The shelter may be open for several days depending on the weather.
DALLAS — As temperatures plummet this Sunday, the homeless population in North Texas faces dangerous conditions. Organizers in Dallas are preparing for what’s being called the largest temporary inclement weather shelter in the state of Texas, designed to provide relief for those in need.
“We prepare for this all year long, working with different agencies so we can deploy at a moment’s notice,” said Our Calling CEO Pastor Wayne Walker.
Nonprofits such as Our Calling and one of Dallas’ largest homeless shelters of more than three decades, Austin Street Center, are teaming up with the city of Dallas to open up the 900-cot shelter at Fair Park in the Grand Place. A peek inside the facility reveals long rows of cots in the large space with bins filled with snacks, coats, and blankets.
“It provides just another opportunity for us to love our neighbors as ourselves,” said Walker.
Paul, a man who’s been experiencing homelessness for 20 years, knows firsthand how brutal the cold can be. “Too cold for me… very too cold,” he said.
But when the weather dips below freezing, it’s a whole new challenge. Paul and others like him are the focus of the emergency shelter opening at Fair Park in Dallas this Sunday. He tells WFAA he plans on taking the DART train to Fair Park on Sunday morning.
The shelter will begin intake at 3 p.m., just as temperatures are expected to drop.
“We really need people to come inside,” said Pastor Walker. “It’ll take two or three days for people to finally decide I am going to come and I need a safe place to be.”
Beyond just a warm place to stay, the shelter will also offer physical, mental health, and other services aimed at helping people get off the streets for good.
The city of Dallas has called a press conference on Sunday before the shelter opens. The city’s interim and assistant city manager, director of the Office of Homeless Solutions, and the CEO of Austin Street Center will be on hand.
Our Calling is encouraging the public to visit their website to help with donations, both financial and material. They also encourage people to download their app so people can report where they see the homeless population so their street outreach teams can pick them up from the freezing temperatures.