Williamson County lacks official shelters for the homeless. Nonprofits are filling the gap.

Unlike nearby Travis County, Williamson County does not have any government run overnight shelters for the area’s homeless population — including when it gets cold outside. Residents frustrated by the situation came together to create their own solution this winter.

By Kailey Hunt, KUT NewsJanuary 17, 2025 1:18 pm, ,

From KUT News:

The gurgling and crackling of a coffee pot could be heard as Michelle Augustine busied herself around the kitchen of the San Gabriel Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Georgetown on a recent Wednesday night.

“Coffee is a sustenance,” she said. “It’s a brew for all of us.”

Augustine and team of about half a dozen volunteers had spent the past week transforming the church’s sanctuary into an emergency overnight warming shelter.

That’s because unlike nearby Travis County, Williamson County does not have any government-run overnight shelters for the area’s homeless population — including when it gets cold outside. That really bothered Augustine, who used to volunteer at Austin area shelters. So, she and a group of other like-minded Georgetown residents decided to take the task upon themselves and create their own.

“I said to my husband, you know, could we ask our church? So I asked, I called our board president Friday morning, and within two hours, we had an answer that we could use the facility,” she said.

She said members of other nearby congregations and nonprofits immediately also pitched in.

“You’ve got the food volunteers. Some folks come and help clean,” Augustine said. “And some folks just come and visit, which is very nice.”

One of those volunteers this night is Nathaniel Bonner, the mobile coordinator for Helping Hands of Georgetown.

“It’s so much more than just a safe place,” he said of the church’s shelter. “It’s warmth, it’s hope, it’s kindness.”

Bonner said he’s been working with Georgetown’s homeless population for a little over six years now.

Almost every day of the week, he’s out by the library passing out sack lunches, pantry bags, clothing and hygiene items.

“Many people look at it as a handout. I see it as a hand up,” he said.

Kailey Hunt / KUT News

At left, Nathaniel Bonner of Helping Hands of Georgetown and Michelle Augustine of Navigation Services of Georgetown along with two shelter volunteers (not identified) pray before welcoming people into the San Gabriel Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Church in Georgetown during a recent cold snap.

About 20 miles southeast of Georgetown, in Taylor, another group of nonprofit and church volunteers are working to help the area’s homeless population get out of the night’s frigid temperatures.

Rick Von Pfeil sits on the board of the Taylor Center for Assistance and Navigation. He said his organization is working with four local motels to help make this happen.

“If they’re unhoused and the temperature is going to be below freezing, as long as they reach out to us and contact us, then we’ll do our best to accommodate and find them a room,” he said.

So far, Von Pfeil said his organization has helped put up 22 people, including some children, in motel rooms. But, he said, they’re gonna need help to keep doing this.

But both Von Pfeil and Augustine agree: These types of operations are only possible with community support.

“There’s a lot of people that are wanting to help. The donation side of it is a very clean way to allow us to either get motel rooms or to get food,” Von Pfeil said. “And then I think after this winter is over, we’ll go back to some of the folks that expressed interest in being a part of the organization, and we’ll talk to them about joining us for the next winter cycle.”

He said folks who want to donate money to can do so through PayPal or Venmo.

Augustine said she’d also like to see local officials have more discussions about how to help the area’s homeless population.

“My challenge to our city and the county is: What are we going to do long term?” she said. “Williamson County is the fastest growing county — or one of [the fastest growing counties] in the in the country. We need to be prepared.”

But in the meantime, she said, donations also help.

She said folks can donate money to the San Gabriel Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Georgetown. Just make sure to specify that it’s a “shelter donation.”

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