Churches, Salvation Army Open Doors for the Homeless

Orange County activists for the homeless expressed their thanks Wednesday for offers of shelter from local churches and the Salvation Army to replace armories in Fullerton and Santa Ana that have been taken over by the National Guard for training sessions this week.

“The response has been tremendous,” said Scott Mather, head of the Orange County Homeless Task Force. “The response is real generous. We’ve got the food. Everything is organized.”

The task force coordinates the opening of the emergency shelters when overnight temperatures are expected to drop below 40 degrees in dry weather, or to 50 degrees when a 50% chance of rain is forecast.

A meteorologist at WeatherData Inc., which provides forecasts for The Times, said the extended outlook for the weekend is for more rain and nighttime temperatures that could drop into the high 20s.

The Orange County armories are among 15 throughout California that will not be available as homeless shelters this weekend because of training drills, Guard spokesman Maj. Steve Mensik said.

Mather, who chairs the mainly volunteer task force, said the Salvation Army in Fullerton, which can house 150 in its building, is already in operation, housing the homeless.

A Presbyterian church in Fullerton also is considering offering a facility capable of housing 130 people on Friday night and through the weekend, if necessary, he added. The National Guard armory in Fullerton can shelter up to 125 people when it is available.

Two churches in Santa Ana, which Mather declined to name, have promised to open their doors and kitchens through the weekend, he said. Another church in Mission Viejo also may be available if its board of trustees approves the plan, he added.

“We can put 125 (people) into the (Santa Ana churches),” Mather said. “They’re very comfortable, heated and have nice kitchens.” The National Guard armory in Santa Ana can also house up to 125 people a night.

The Salvation Army shelter was open Wednesday night and will remain open through Sunday night, Mather said. The Santa Ana churches will open their doors tonight through Sunday, he added.

Mather’s task force will have announcements on the shelter locations and bus transportation at the usual pickup points for the homeless, he said.

“Everything is the same as we usually do for the armories; they’re just different end points,” he said.

News of the armories closing for National Guard use caught county officials and volunteers for the homeless by surprise earlier this week. On Tuesday, they issued an urgent appeal for temporary shelter space in the event that cold rains or frigid night temperatures made the emergency accommodations necessary.