Due to the winter cold, the GGD winter regulations are in force in Drenthe. The Salvation Army has therefore decided to expand the number of night shelters. In both Assen and Emmen, more homeless people can go to spend the cold nights warm and sheltered.
“At our location in Assen on the Havenkade, we have expanded the number of overnight shelters from ten to twenty,” says Martijn Folkers of the Salvation Army Northeast. In Emmen, the number of night shelters has increased from eight to thirteen. In addition, our colleagues at Wender crisis shelter now also have winter shelter available for the homeless, they have gone from zero to six places.”
The expansion of night shelter does not currently mean any additional deployment of people for the Salvation Army. “We look at this from moment to moment. If it gets very busy in the shelter, we arrange extra guidance, which the team leaders keep an eye on,” Folkers explains.
The winter regulations of GGD Drenthe have been in force since Saturday. According to Folkers, it has been a bit busier at the night shelter since then. “But we still have the coldest nights ahead of us, so we are taking into account even more crowds.”
According to the spokesperson, the Salvation Army itself does not go out onto the streets to bring in homeless people. “We do, of course, have people from our own network who let us know that night shelter is available. Where necessary, the GGD and the police actively pick people up from the street and house them here.”
The GGD sets the winter regulation when the perceived temperature falls below -5 degrees. People without shelter can then use shelters for the homeless without paying. The winter arrangement also applies to people who are normally not entitled to shelter, such as migrant workers or people who live in a house that is disconnected from energy.