SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bullitt County is in need of a new space for a white flag shelter this year.Â
The Mark 12 Ministries organization in Shepherdsville has used Mercy Hill Church for a white flag space the past two years. This winter, the church is unable to open its doors for the shelter because of COVID-19 safety precautions.Â
"Our church members are broken-hearted honestly. They wanted to have the shelter here again," said Mark 12 Executive Director, Perry Cooke. "It was all the requirements and restrictions as far as the COVID guidelines."
Cooke said on any given night, around 30 men, women, and children would show up to use the shelter and get a hot meal. The white flag shelter would open when temperatures dropped below 35 degrees.
Cooke said there have already been a few nights this winter the doors would have been open. But with no space, people have been left out in the cold.
Cooke explained some of the difficulities of finding a shelter this year, saying, "Taking that number (of people) and dividing it up by the sizes that we need for the cots and distance in between them, also allowing for a place where we can quaranatine someone if they're sympotmatic or have a fever because unfortunately, homeless people don't have a place to quarantine to. "
Cooke is still searching for a new white flag location this year. He said he needs about 6,000 square feet. He said if he can't find a place by January, he's going to try setting up tents in a field to provide some type of shelter on cold nights.
You can reach out to the organization by clicking here.
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