“Out of the cold and into our hearts”
By Bruce Friberg Co-director
The Shelter @Orenco Station (SOS) is the only overnight
homeless shelter in Washington County that accepts men, women and children. We
are open for ninety consecutive nights from December 1st through
March 1st, giving the homeless a warm place to stay during the cold
winter months. SOS welcomes our guests at 5:00pm with a hearty supper, caring
atmosphere, showers, cots and sleeping bags, and in the morning a healthy
breakfast before they go back onto the streets at 7:00am. The shelter is an
ecumenical ministry hosted by Sonrise Church and supported by over 200
volunteers from 12 local churches and served 176 of the estimated 1400 homeless
people in Washington County last year. The volunteers perform a variety of
duties including preparing meals onsite, overnight hosting, and interacting
socially with our guests. Our goal is to not only to give a hand-out but a hand
up. We do our best to supply all the needs of the homeless including connecting
them with the government and faith based resources available to them. We have
had many successes getting them off the streets and into a home of their own.
Sarah’s Story
Sarah woke up on December 10, 2009 after spending several
weeks living in her car. The temperature outside was 10 degrees. She had eight
blankets and her dog to try and keep her warm, but still was so cold she could
hardly move. Reflecting on how she ended up in a situation she thought would
never happen to her; she recalled the break-up of an abusive relationship and
soon after the sudden loss of her job. These events caused Sarah to slip into a
debilitating depression. Unable to cope with life anymore she soon ran out of
money and lost the apartment she was living in.
That day, using what little gas she had left, she made
her way to the Public Library to spend the day in a warm place. While there she
saw information about the shelter. With no other options available to her she
showed up at SOS that evening and was overwhelmed by the caring people that
provided her with clean clothes, a shower, a warm meal, and even a gift card
for gas for her car. Sarah spent every night for the rest of the winter at SOS
and gradually worked herself out her depression and became a vital part of the
shelter operation, counseling other guests as only one that has experienced
homelessness can. On March 1st she was offered a room to stay in
with a local pastor and his family. Last summer Sarah landed a new job and is
saving her money to get a place of her own.
Testimonials:"To my 'Sonrise family': Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for all the love and support I have received from each and every one of you since that cold December day when I turned up on you doorstep. I came looking for a warm place to sleep and found God instead! And for that I am eternally thankful."
-Andy | 
