SPOKANE, Wash. – The TRAC shelter in Spokane is facing its closure deadline, with the city allowing operations only until Thursday, Oct. 31. At its peak, TRAC provided shelter for 350 people each night, but now only slightly over 30 people remain.
Efforts are intensifying as the final hours of operation approach. Captain David Cain of the Salvation Army highlighted their dedication to the residents. “We believe our responsibility is to care for every single person that is in the shelter and we’re going to continue up until the last hour,” he said.
Cain added that forming personal connections has been crucial in helping residents transition out of the shelter. “We are believing like it’s possible, we have gone name by name on an individual plan with every person that has stayed at our shelter,” Cain stated.
The Salvation Army has been actively working to build trust and relationships to support these efforts. “Relationship is our strongest tool we’re building trust with individuals in order to help convince them of next steps,” Cain emphasized.
Revive, an organization managing the navigation site at the Cannon shelter, reports that it is currently at full capacity with 30 individuals who have moved from TRAC.
In response to criticism from council members and local residents, Captain Cain mentioned the shelter’s openness. “The Salvation Army wants to be an open book we want to be transparent, we would incite any constructive criticism that would allow us to grow and be better,” he added.
As the November 1 deadline looms, the city of Spokane has declined to comment but is expected to announce plans for the future soon.
