Beaverton Expands Shelter Services For Adults During Coronavirus

Press release from the City of Beaverton:

March 30, 2020

BEAVERTON, Ore. – Beaverton’s Severe Weather Shelter will remain open and expand services nightly to support area adults experiencing homelessness and in response to COVID-19. The City of Beaverton, in collaboration with county-wide partners, is doing its part to support social distancing, limit the spread of the disease and flatten the curve of this growing pandemic.
Beginning tonight, Monday, March 30 and through May 31, the shelter will be open nightly each week with space for up to 25 people. Intake will be managed by Community Action as a registered program. People experiencing homelessness should call the centralized shelter line at 503-726-0850 for enrollment. The line is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Located at the Beaverton Community Center, intake priorities will be given to individuals who are at high-risk of COVID-19, specifically those that are older than 60 or have underlying medical conditions. Guests will receive dinner and breakfast every day. Showers will be provided at least once each week by a shower trailer.
Interviews with city and shelter representatives and shelter tours will be offered today, Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31 from 3 to 4 p.m. either remotely or with proper distancing practices at the Beaverton Community Center located at 12350 SW 5th Street. For the safety and comfort of guests and staff, interviews will not be offered outside of these times, but can be arranged separately during non-operating hours as needed.
The shelter will operate under strict guidance from the Oregon Health Authority and additional precautions will be followed to ensure the health and safety of guests and staff. This includes regular sanitization of surfaces, readily available hand sanitizer, hand washing protocols, and at least six feet of spacing at all times, including between beds and during meals. Hotel vouchers will be provided to guests who display COVID-19 symptoms.
Nurses will be onsite to provide health screenings. Staff will be provided with personal protective equipment, such as masks, gloves and eye protection, which must be worn while working. In addition, staff must have no underlying medical conditions.
The shelter expansion is a cooperative effort between Just Compassion of East Washington County, Community Action and Washington County. The shower trailer was created and is maintained by Old Town Forest Grove and Community Connections.

This press release was produced by the City of Beaverton . The views expressed here are the author’s own.