The Nomadic Winter Shelter operates through the winter months in Placerville, CA to give a warm place for people to sleep who otherwise would be sleeping outside. It began in the winter of 2010-2011 during one of the worst storms to hit Placerville. The town was shut down due to the snow and high winds. A local couple was driving carefully home in the evening when they passed a shivering homeless man with no where to go to protect himself from the raging elements. The couple, as most people do when passing by the homeless, kept on driving. Yet something tugged at their heart strings. They knew that this man might not survive the night without shelter. They turned their car around and invited him in. They drove around the town looking for a place for this stranger to stay that was safe enough for everyone involved. One of the local churches decided that night to open their doors to everyone in need of shelter from the storm, and the Nomadic Winter Shelter was born.

Currently the Winter Shelter rotates each night between the local churches. It gives a warm, safe place to sleep for around 40 homeless people each night. This number includes families and pregnant women. They provide a light breakfast and transportation to the church that volunteered to open their doors that night. Many people in the community have volunteered more than just their time to keep this shelter running. They've created real relationships with the homeless people that use the shelter, getting to know and care for each one personally. Unfortunately the shelter is only open during the Winter months (mainly due to funding), leaving the nomads to fend for themselves the rest of the year. The shelter closed at the end of March.

The money that was raised on March 29 will be put towards things such as sleeping mats, blankets and gas for their transportation bus, "Gracie". Truckee Sourdough Co. is proud to have been able to get involved in such an important community organization.

If you would like to know more, or would like to donate your time or money, you may visit their website: http://www.hangtownhaven.org/home.html