nomadic shelter

The Nomadic Shelter Ministry is an ecumenical program that serves homeless persons in El Dorado County. Each participating church hosts one or more nights a week to provide homeless guests with a warm and safe place to sleep during the winter months. Guests are served a hearty evening meal and breakfast in the morning, and are given warm clothing, shoes, and hygiene items from our Job’s Shelters of the Sierras (JSS) clothing closet. In addition to serving the physical needs of our guests, we seek to minister to the soul and spirit, and provide each individual with a sense of dignity, safety, and belonging.

The shelter November through March.


Volunteer! You can make a difference in the life of someone who is homeless.

Sign up to volunteer on the Nomadic Shelter Sign-Up Calendar.


Volunteer Opportunities

  • Shelter Set-Up by 5 PM Set up tables, chairs, and TV on Shelter evenings. A diagram for placement of furniture will be provided.
  • Evening Transportation beginning at 4:30 PM (5 PM pickup). Using Shelter vans, pick up guests at one of three designated locations in Placerville beginning at 5:30 PM and transport to Foothills UMC.
  • Check-in at FUMC: 5 - 7 PM. Check overnight guests and their belongings into the Shelter.
  • Bring Evening Meal: 6 - 6:30 PM.  Bring a hearty entrée, which can be a soup or casserole, a bread or salad, a small dessert item and 6 to 8 two-liter bottles of soda (not diet and with no caffeine). The meal should be ready to serve guests by 6:30 PM.
  • Evening Host: 7 to 9 PM.  Socialize with guests, help them get settled, provide and play movie and assist with kitchen clean-up if needed.
  • Bring Breakfast Items by 8 AM.  Bring breakfast items such as cereal, milk, fruit and/or bread or protein for the morning.
  • Overnight Host: 9 PM - 2 AM. Watch over guests while they sleep.
  • Overnight Host: 2 - 6 AM. Second half of overnight shift watching over guests as they sleep. Help get them up in the morning.
  • Morning Host: 6 - 8:30 AM. Make coffee, set out and serve breakfast items to guests. Organize clean up and guests are expected to help. Stay with guests until they are transported from the church.
  • Morning Transportation: 7 - 9 AM. Using Shelter vans, transport guests to three designated locations in Placerville. 

Other Ways You Can Help

  • Donate gently-used sweatshirts, jeans, rain ponchos, hoodies, tennis shoes, and white cotton socks.
  • Bring items for Shelter supply closet such as decaf coffee, cereals, sugar, creamer & paper goods.
  • Donate a grocery store gift card to help with meals
  • Lend or donate a DVD movie.
  • Donate magazines, games and paperback books. 

Nomadic Shelter Committee

Contact for more informaiton:

  • Rowland Gaal, FUMC Spokesperson
  • Cindy Peil, Volunteer Coordinator
  • Barbara Priou, Meal Coordinator
  • Michael Ling, Overnight Host Coordinator
  • Marilyn Long, Shelter Set-Up and Morning Host Coordinator
  • Robin Clark, Shelter Supplies Coordinator
  • Melody Moore, Transportation Volunteers Coordinator