Night Off The Streets in Carson needs more than 100 volunteers

Preparations are underway to open warming centers next month but there is only one problem they need more volunteers. During the coldest days of winter, First United Methodist Church in Carson City becomes a sanctuary for men, women, and children without shelter. Training sessions for volunteers will be conducted by the Night Off the Streets (NOTS) warming center on Oct. 20 and Oct. 22 at the First United Methodist Church in Carson City. The training sessions cover the roles of volunteers on each of the three shifts during the night. The NOTS warming center was founded more than six years ago after a homeless man died of hypothermia while sleeping outdoors in Carson City. Since opening the center, no one has died from exposure to the cold in Carson City.

Rob and Jenny Scanland are dedicated volunteers who have been working for (NOTS) for three years now.

“We see them, and you can ignore the problem or you can be part of the solution,” said Rob Scanland.

“Interacting with people who are struggling is hard to see and it’s heartbreaking.”

“I met a man named Henry and he came in pushing a wheelchair with all his stuff on it,” said Jenny Scanland. “He had a hard time getting around and it probably took three years total and now he works at a social services organization and has his own apartment and is a veteran and it took just helping him to figure out how to get back on his feet.” The warming centers are a multi-faith endeavor and First United Methodist Church in Carson is just one of five involved.

NOTS currently has 80 volunteers and is looking for 120 more before they open in November.

For more information about the training sessions, contact NOTS at notscarson@outlook.com or call 775-600-2632. Pre-registration is not required to attend the training sessions but is encouraged. The Carson City Methodist Church, the site of the training, is located at 212 N. Division St.