North Raleigh Today

The Wake Continuum of Care has declared “white flag” status, as bitterly cold temperatures are predicted for central North Carolina the week of Christmas.

With that in mind, the Wake County Commission is calling on the public to help staff some of the area shelters.

“It takes a village to operate these shelters and care for the guests who need a warm place to stay during this frigid weather,” Commissioner Cheryl Stallings told WRAL News. "With the holidays approaching, finding volunteers to staff the shelters may be challenging, so we hope the community can lend a hand.”  

A “white flag” designation means shelters will be open to anyone who is homeless or without a safe, reliable heat source. This status begins once the temperature drops below 35 degrees.

St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) is taking the lead on coordinating volunteer recruitment efforts and collecting donations. 

Volunteers are needed to help with projects such as food preparation, supply sorting/packaging, setup and breakdown, and tending to shelter residents’ needs. People who don’t have the time to volunteer can help by making donations, which cover the costs of running a shelter. 

St. John’s MCC has created an Amazon Charity Needs List to help secure much-needed items. Visit the St. John’s MCC volunteer page to sign up and learn more if you're interested in volunteering.

“White flag” shelter locations will be open every day from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. There is a men’s shelter at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh (3313 Wade Avenue in Raleigh), a women’s shelter at Open Table UMC (824 North Bloodworth Street in Raleigh) and a shelter for families with children at the Salvation Army of Wake County (1863 Capital Boulevard in Raleigh).

People who are seeking help and need a place to stay can call the shelter communications center at 919-834-2611.