Faith Mission prepares for increased traffic as temperatures drop

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - As temperatures drop this week, local shelters are stepping up to make sure some of our most vulnerable neighbors have a safe place to turn.

For staff at the Wichita Falls Faith Mission, the goal is to meet every person who walks through their doors with grace, compassion, and support.

CEO Steve Sparks says meeting those immediate, physical needs can be the first step toward long-term change.

“Holistically, we want them to be able to have everything they need, but we start by meeting their felt needs right off the bat when they come in and it’s cold outside,“ Sparks said.

At Wichita Falls Faith Mission, staying ready for winter weather is essential. The colder it gets, the more people walk through their doors. That prep work includes stocking blankets, serving hot meals, and making sure there’s plenty of gloves, hats, and other cold-weather gear.

Sparks says those simple items are often the first step toward hope.

“We want to make sure that everybody has a place where they’re warm, have a place where they feel they belong. Our staff is trained and highly capable and willing to be there, to listen, to do whatever we need to do to make sure that they have not only their felt needs met, but also if they have any spiritual questions, we’re always ready to pray with them and help them and counsel them in those regards,“ Sparks said.

Part of that preparation also means keeping their pantries full. Between Faith Mission and Faith Refuge, the two served around 300 meals a day and more than 134,000 meals in 2024 alone.

As the need continues to grow, Sparks says the community plays a big role in helping them continue their work.

“Number one is by praying for us because we have a really tough job ahead of us to make sure that everybody is taken care of. They can also contribute financially. They can go to our website and click on our volunteer tab,” he said. “In-kind donations as well...coats, gloves, hats, all the things that you would wake up and use to get ready in the morning, like hygiene items and those kind of things. So there are several ways that they can support us.“