Winter Shelter Season Begins

When WATTS opens its overnight shelter on Halloween night, a lot of the people getting off the bus will be former students, coworkers, and neighbors, people this community already knows. Janet Michael checks back in with Robyn Miller, Executive Director of WATTS (Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter), as the shelter gets ready for another winter season with more people in need than ever. And it really is about our neighbors: according to the Western Virginia Continuum of Care, 88% of the people WATTS serves are from the Shenandoah Valley.

Robyn explains how WATTS moves host churches around so there's enough room during the coldest weeks, and how the nightly bus pickup works. She also talks about the warming center's new home at Winchester Bible Church, which opens November 30, and why it matters to people who live in their cars, sleep on friends' couches, or work overnight shifts. She shares what "low-barrier" really means, which donations help the most, and why volunteers are what make guests feel safe. Then the conversation turns to Cheesin' for a Reason, the grilled cheese and tomato soup festival that returns to Old Town Winchester on November 14. It's a fun day downtown that pays a real share of the shelter's bills. Listen in to find out how you can help, whether that's cooking a casserole, sitting a shift, or just showing up hungry.

EVENT DETAILS

What: Cheesin' for a Reason, a grilled cheese and tomato soup festival and restaurant competition that raises money for WATTS When: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with timed entry. The 2:00 to 4:00 PM slot had the most tickets left when this was recorded. Where: Old Town Winchester (downtown walking mall) Tickets: Buy in advance only, at watts-homelessshelter.org. Sales close November 6 so restaurants know how much food to make. There's no physical ticket: your name goes on the check-in list when you buy. Cost: $20 for adults; $10 for children 10 and under What's there: Grilled cheese and tomato soup from 8 to 10 local restaurants competing for your vote, including last year's big winner T.T. Walls, tomato soup champ Water Street Kitchen, and Manolette's, which promises something outside the box. There's also live music including Raised on Analog, craft vendors (get a head start on Christmas shopping), and a kids' area. Volunteer: Volunteers get a free wristband and a T-shirt Sponsorships: $250 to $1,500. Contact WATTS. LINKS & RESOURCES

WATTS (Winchester Area Temporary Trans