2024 Code Blue Center 
A Successful first Year 

From Bonnie and Dave,

Thanks to all that helped with the Code Blue Center this year, those who worked at the center, those who donated to the Center and to the Monthly Meeting who awarded the Alice Ambler Award to the Colonial Area Anti-Racism and Social Equity alliance (CAARSEA). We (the Plymouth, Whitemarsh, Conshohocken, Norristown Community) successfully created a warm, safe, and friendly refuge from the cold. This winter 146 volunteers staffed 6 shifts per night for 56 code blue days which enabled the center to provide beds for 676 stays for people in need during these days.

While cleaning the bathrooms on one of the last mornings of the Center being open, reflected on just how many details had to be attended to each day so that the Center would meet its purpose - Would there be enough food for the evening meal, (did we remember to buy napkins), do we have personal kits (Oh no, running out of toothpaste), Did the bus passes get purchased?, Are there enough quarters for the washers and dryers? ………. Don’t forget more toilet paper….. and so many more small and large chores to be done before the doors open.
These details were covered day in and day out by the CAARSEA staff. Volunteers rearrange their schedules as cold weather continued throughout one week and into the next. People rearranged sleep schedules to be there for the 2-5 am shift and all of the shifts.  There is no way to know what everyone did to make this Center a success, but we do know that those who came to our Center appreciated the evening meal no matter what it was, a warm place to sleep or rest, and coffee and donut(s) before going off to their jobs, school or other activities in the cold of the morning.

The days are a little warmer now, nights are not freezing, at least not for water. We are sure that if we were unhoused, we would feel like we were freezing at 38F as we wait for the sun to come back. Our Center’s doors are closed for the season. The unhoused people we served will seek other places of refuge during the coming nights. We can continue to be of service to them in a variety of ways:
Consider writing both your Township and our County officials and urge them to go beyond the talk about affordable housing and begin to create both the physical houses/apartments at affordable prices and the pathways of support services that can house our fellow citizens.
If you do see any of our unhoused community today, please direct them to the Montco Emergency hotline where they can learn what shelters are open and have availability.  The number for them to call is 610-278-3522.

Volunteer to help the monthly Unhoused Outreach in Norristown on the third Saturdays. Volunteer roles include transportation (10:15-10:45am); set up (11am-12pm); supplying water, fruit, and sandwiches; and of course, volunteers to staff the outreach (12-2pm). We also rely on generously donated items and purchases from our Amazon Wishlist. ?Volunteer sign ups, kid packing events, the Amazon Wishlist, and lunch sign ups are updated each month and posted on the CAARSEA Facebook page and/or our website blog. https://www.caarsea.com