By Khalida Sarwari
A Santa Clara County homeless services provider today opened emergency shelters in San Jose and Gilroy for those who need a warm place to sleep.
EHC LifeBuilders began its annual Cold Weather Shelter Program this afternoon at its Boccardo Reception Center in San Jose, located at 2011 Orchard St. The shelter is providing 125 emergency shelter beds.
Because of unusually cold weather, the agency decided to open an additional shelter tonight at the National Guard Armory in Gilroy and will open another on Thursday night at the Sunnyvale center. Both were slated to open on Monday.
“Because of the extreme cold weather, we decided to open early so we can get people the safety and warmth they need at this time,” EHC spokeswoman Jennifer Van Every said.
The National Guard armories in Gilroy and Sunnyvale will provide 325 homeless men, women and children with nightly emergency shelter, food and hygiene services.
Van Every said the goal of the program is to not only provide some of the county’s 7,000 homeless people with food and shelter but also to help them become self-sufficient by connecting them to job and housing support services.
The Sunnyvale and Gilroy shelters will operate from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day through the end of March. The Sunnyvale shelter is located at the National Guard Armory, 620 E. Maude Ave. The Gilroy shelter is also located at the city’s National Guard Armory, 8940 Wren Ave.
Information on warming center locations can be obtained by calling 211 or visiting www.211scc.org.