Citrus Heights shelter program served 62 homeless during winter cold

By Sara Beth Williams–
Homeless advocates and hundreds of volunteers came together in Citrus Heights and beyond to help serve dozens of unhoused individuals during an annual “winter sanctuary” operated by the Citrus Heights Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART).

In an annual update for 2025, the nonprofit reported that this year’s rotating winter shelter served a total of 62 unhoused individuals, providing them with a variety of basic needs. Over 600 volunteers from various organizations throughout the city and beyond helped make running the shelter possible, according to the press release from Citrus Heights HART.

Six churches hosted guests for a total of 42 nights from Jan. 12 through Feb. 22. Each church hosted the unhoused for one week, providing overnight stays. Messiah Lutheran Church on Rosswood Drive in Citrus Heights, served as the nightly registration point for participants.

Unsheltered individuals were required to first register each night. Once registered, a bus transported individuals to that night’s host church. Participating churches provided guests with a hot meal, a cot to sleep on, new undergarments, a hot shower, and a to-go bag of food for the next day. Several churches also offered AA and NA meetings.

Citrus Heights HART President Irene Hronicek said Foundation Christian Church had a shower on site, allowing individuals the option to shower every night. Whenever a church did not have on-site shower facilities, a mobile shower unit was brought to each of the location on Mondays and Fridays.

In the update, Citrus Heights HART reported that two unhoused individuals were reunited with family, and two former shelter guests returned this year to volunteer. Zero citations were issued, and zero emergency calls were made requiring police intervention.

During a visit to Foundation Christian Church on Jan. 29, Hronicek said the program had been successful thus far and noted that at least one individual had been able to secure a job due to resources and connections provided during the program.

Though no citations were given out, but two individuals were asked not to return due to violations of program expectations. Hronicek said this occurs each year and that there are 18 different rules that participants must follow. During registration, each individual signs an agreement to abide by these rules in order to participate.

Homeless advocate Alfred Sanchez volunteers each year by providing a cooked meal, along with snack items for guests to take with them in the morning. This year, Sanchez provided a meal to 12 guests at Foundation Christian Church.

In a phone call Thursday, Sanchez said the program went well and is well-organized.

“They’ve been doing it so long, it runs like a well-oiled machine,” Sanchez said, adding that he was sad that it only lasted six weeks.

Six individuals were transported to the emergency room, and two individuals passed away during the six-week shelter period, according to HART’s annual report. When asked about the first death in January, Hronicek said the first individual was very sick, and she was grateful he did not die alone outside in a park. Hronicek did not respond to a request for comment regarding the second death.

Sanchez said death of the unhoused does occur and seems to happen more in the winter because it’s a lot “harsher” during the winter months.

In its annual update, Citrus Heights HART thanked local volunteers and partner organizations for helping the program run smoothly. Contributors included Sunrise Christian Food Ministry, who provided foodstuffs used for to-go breakfasts given to guests, Laundry Love who provided laundry services, Dignity Health representatives who provided health checkups and medical care, and the homeless navigators from Community Health Works who helped connect individuals with important resources in the county.

The Winter Sanctuary program is an annual volunteer-run effort that provides shelter for those who are unsheltered during several weeks at the beginning of each year. In previous years, the shelter has operated for longer duration and more churches were able to participate. In 2023, the program ran from Jan. 1 to Feb. 25.

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