Local organizations expand shelters ahead of Puget Sound snowfall

The snowy conditions are just part of the problem in Snohomish County this week.

On top of the dangerous, snow covered roads, the temperatures are dropping overnight to dangerous levels. In Marysville, LINC NW is expanding the number of beds in the Marysville Cold Weather Shelter.

"I think if we didn’t have this as a resource, we would have already lost some of our community members," said shelter coordinator Nathan Ray.

Over the past 24 hours, LINC NW has expanded their cold weather shelter and Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Marysville to ensure they can house at least 30 people. Ray said they would increase the size even more if needed.

According to Ray, they had more people seek shelter in November alone than all of last year. This month has been especially cold overnight, and wind chills are predicted to get even worse this week.

READ MORE: LIVE UPDATES: Snow falls in Seattle, North Puget Sound

Jack Williams, 75, is one of the regulars. The shelter opens whenever the temperature drops to 34 degrees or lower. He told FOX 13 News that people are too quick to judge how people wind up on the street. He says everyone living in these harsh conditions needs help.

"People need to stop and think before they judge," said Williams. "It could be their son, their daughter, their dad, their mother; it can happen to anybody. It’s cold out, but the coldness of people to throw others away—that’s the cold that really kills."

Ray told FOX 13 News that they’re relying on volunteers to ensure each person receives a warm meal, a warm bed and that they have staff to watch over the entire operation throughout the entire night. With weather conditions worsening, they’re expecting to be open the rest of the week.

LINC NW isn’t the only shelter seeing an influx of people with temperatures worsening. In Everett, the Everett Gospel Mission reported that they saw 70 people overnight. They expect more as temps plummet into the teens overnight.

FULL FORECAST: Seattle weather: Snow day for some in Western Washington, chilly rain for others

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In Monroe, the Volunteers of American Western Washington run a shelter for those in need. They tell FOX 13 that they’re in need of warm clothing for the people who utilize their shelters, including warm hats, gloves, coats and more.

If you’d like to connect with people to donate goods you can connect with LINC NW via email at nathan@lincnw.org, or VOAWW through lgagnon@voaww.org.