Wind River Family and Community Health Care opened a warming station south of Riverton this year, offering shelter to anyone in need on cold winter nights.
The change has allowed the clinic to open its homeless shelter in the 300 block of Left Hand Ditch Road to more families with children, WRFCHC employee Lisa Yawakia said, adding that, as of last week, the eight-unit facility was “full.”
“(It’s) been full since that happened,” Yawakia said. “For the most part, all of the units are currently being used for homeless families. … And we still have people on a waiting list.”
The homeless shelter serves enrolled Tribal members who are patients of WRFCHC, offering short-term lodging in addition to other services, including case management, transportation, and assistance finding employment and permanent lodging, Yawakia said, while the new warming huts are open to all.
“The door is open (if) they need a place to go,” she said, adding that transportation is available from clinic locations to the warming facility at around 4:40 p.m. daily.
For more information, call 438-3421 or 438-3370.