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Snohomish County shelters brace for a cold, wet winter

Community groups are being asked to do more to help keep people safe and warm.

EVERETT, Wash. — Six winter shelters are opening in Snohomish County this week, a total of 157 additional beds. But with so many people in need, it's being called a "stopgap" measure.

"We need more year-round shelter beds," said Tyler Verda of Snohomish County Human Services.

Fifty-five beds are being set up at the Everett Gospel Mission.

Geoffrey Mulvaney will be sleeping there. He usually sleeps in a downtown doorway.

"It means everything," Mulvaney said. "It's life and death out here."

There are about 1,200 known homeless people in Snohomish County right now. That's more than anytime in the past decade.

The county is working to add more shelter beds at two motels it plans to buy.

The City of Everett has doubled its number of pallet shelters to 40.

The total capacity in the county is currently 840. That's still at least 300 beds short of what's needed, and county officials concede more needs to be done.

"There has been an increase in resources, but we're not keeping up and there's a lot more we need to do as a community," Verda said.

Community groups like Everett's Angel Resource Connection are shouldering more of the burden these days.

Volunteers have been handing out winter gear and so-called Sheltersuits -- weather-proof, wearable sleeping bags -- that have been donated by a Dutch company.  

Organizer Penelope Protheroe said it's one more weapon in the battle to help people simply survive.

"People are in fear the minute they think they're going to be cold and have nowhere to keep warm," Protheroe said. "If you have no one giving you supplies you don't know if you're going to make it through the night."

Snohomish County's winter shelters open on nights when the overnight temperature is forecast to hit 34 degrees. The forecast over the next several nights dips into the 30s, and in some places, the 20s.

Information regarding Snohomish County winter shelters can be found at the county's Public Safety Hub.

Back at the Everett Gospel Mission, they are seeing more seniors and more first-time homeless.

Operations Director Jeremiah Swartz believes the adversity is pulling this community closer together in pursuit of a common goal.

"I really do think we're going to not only get through this we're gonna be better for it," Swartz said.

Homeless advocates stress they need more churches, synagogues, temples and mosques to open their doors to the homeless.

"If each just took a few it would make a huge difference," Swartz said.

Watch: Cold winter looms as energy prices rise 

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