Monroe children will be able to experience what it's like to be homeless, hungry and in need of shelter later this month during a fundraiser for the cold weather shelter at New Hope Fellowship.
The shelter is based in a small house next to the church and open from Nov. 15 to March 15 on nights where the temperature hits 32 degrees and below.
"Sometimes it's 34 degrees and we don't have it open, said Amber Mehta, who manages the shelter. "I'd love to have enough money to keep it open every night.GÇ¥
The Monroe Cold Weather Shelter's Night In: A Walk In Their Shoes is a fundraiser where children in grades 1-8 will be able to experience what it's like to spend a night in the shelter, as well as receive a walking tour of resources available to the community's homeless.
A Walk In Their Shoes starts 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at the Sky Valley Food Bank, where children will hear from the food bank manager about its services and choose the meal they'll eat that night.
"They're going to eat what a homeless person would get,GÇ¥ Mehta said.
Children will then walk with their accompanying parent and Mehta to the Monroe Library, which is another resource center heavily used by the homeless, Mehta said.
The walking portion of the event ends at the cold weather shelter, which has 14 cots available, but Mehta said there are ways of adding capacity if necessary.
"We never turn anyone away,GÇ¥ she said, adding the shelter has not yet encountered a capacity issue.
The shelter is open 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., which is the same time child participants in A Walk In Their Shoes will have to leave, whether it's raining or snowing.
The cost per child is $20, and applications must be turned in by Tuesday, Oct. 13. Mehta said she is looking to have 10 children attend the event, but is hopeful more can be accepted.
Applications can be requested by calling Mehta at 425-503-0028 or emailing monroecoldweatheralliance@gmail.com.
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