WARM Volunteer Drivers Sought
Winter has arrived. Each year, the St. Mary’s County Department of Aging & Human Services is working with shelters in the area like the Three Oaks Center to offer Wrapping Arms ‘Round Many, or WARM, to provide emergency shelter to homeless individuals during the coldest months of the year in St. Mary’s County. WARM volunteer drivers are still being sought for this winter.
Being a WARM volunteer driver is a great opportunity to make a difference for the county’s homeless population. The Department of Aging & Human Services is the coordinator of transportation for the WARM program, handling recruiting and scheduling volunteer drivers. Drivers have to be 18 or older and have a valid driver’s license. Each volunteer is given access to a county-owned van. Slots are open every day of the week while WARM is in operation.
Drivers take evening or morning shifts. Evening drivers go to the Three Oaks Center at 5:30 pm each night to pick up WARM guests and take them to the selected church location for that night. In the mornings, drivers arrive at the church by 7 am to take the guests back to Three Oaks.
WARM is a partnership between the county’s faith community, human service agencies and citizens of St. Mary’s County who are willing to help provide safe shelter and hot meals to homeless residents during the coldest, and often most difficult and dangerous, months of the year. WARM was started in October 2009 and has been extremely successful with more than 50 churches working together to provide food and shelter. The organization works closely with St. Mary’s County Government, including the Department of Aging & Human Services and the Department of Public Works and Transportation; St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office; Walden; the Department of Social Services; the Three Oaks Center; and MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown. This year, the season for WARM began Oct. 29 and will be over on April 1, 2018.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Ursula Harris at 301-475-4200, ext. *1658, or at [email protected]. Every volunteer is appreciated.
To learn more about Three Oaks Center, visit its Leader Member Page.
