With another round of snow on its way to West Michigan, officials at the Muskegon Rescue Mission (MRM) Tuesday announced it’s opening up a 24-hour- emergency shelter and warming center.
According to a press release, MRM will have two separate facilities—a men’s shelter, and a women’s and family shelter, both open seven days-a-week and 24-hours-a-day to anyone who needs relief from the frigid temperatures or a place to get out of the snow.
The national weather forecast right now has issued a winter storm warning for West Michigan that includes Ottawa, Kent, Allegan and Muskegon countries, with up to 10 inches of snow by Thursday morning, and winds that could top at 50 mph.
Dan Skoglund, is Muskegon Rescue Mission executive director. He says that the facility will be offering anyone who needs it a warm bed to sleep in, and two hot meals as day.
It’s a place where they can come in, when they have nowhere else to turn,” Skoglund said. “No need for anyone to stay out of the streets, come in, have a meal, and be safe.”
The big concern of course, says Skoglund, is that with dozens of homeless persons staying at the Muskegon Rescue Mission at any given time, navigating the pandemic and an emerging Omicron variant has proved “tricky” but he says the facility is following all CDC guidelines including mask mandates and social distancing. He says the Muskegon Rescue Mission is providing on-site free COVID-19 testing as well.
