No Off-Season: How WATTS Fights Homelessness Year-Round

The shelter season may end with the cold weather — but homelessness doesn't. On this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael catches up with Robyn Miller, Executive Director of WATTS (Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter), to talk about what the organization is doing right now in June — the year-round case management, the two transitional homes, the cooling center that currently has no home of its own, and the everyday work of helping someone get their birth certificate so they can get a driver's license, so they can get a job, so they can get a place to live. Robyn explains why the goal at WATTS is, paradoxically, to put WATTS out of business — and walks Janet through the patchwork of partner organizations that make that possible, from Winchester CCAP to Family Promise Winchester Area to the Concern Hotline to the Winchester Police Department's addiction recovery team. Plus: the lineup of summer and fall fundraisers that keep the lights on at a privately-funded nonprofit — Caring & Sharing at Greenwood Fire Hall, the Walt Cunningham Memorial Golf Tournament at Rock Harbor, and the wildly popular Cheesin' for a Reason on the Old Town Walking Mall in November. UPCOMING WATTS EVENTS & FUNDRAISERS Caring & Sharing — Friday, August 15, 2026 • Greenwood Fire Hall • An evening of music, food, and raffles celebrating WATTS volunteers and guests, with success stories told in their own voices. Walt Cunningham Memorial Golf Tournament — Thursday, October 2, 2026 • Rock Harbor Golf Course • Lunch by Billy Sous  Named in memory of the man who got the United Methodist Church involved with WATTS. Cheesin' for a Reason — Friday, November 14, 2026 • Feltner lot at Boscawen and Loudoun Streets (Old Town Walking Mall, downtown Winchester) • Local restaurants compete with grilled cheese and tomato soup. Last year's winners: T.T. Walls and Water Street Kitchen. Over 1,000 participants in 2025. HOW TO HELP • Donate online at WATTS-homelessshelter.org • Become a Hero for WATTS — $10/month recurring (yes, you'll get free pancakes at Clem's Kitchen) • Volunteer at any of the fall fundraisers — sign-ups for Cheesin' for a Reason open in August • Sign up to serve meals during the Thanksgiving or Christmas shelter weeks • Donate or rent a building for the cooling/warming center — even nominal rent is welcome (creative arrangements have tax benefits) LINKS & RESOURCES • WATTS website: WATTS-homelessshelter.org • WATTS on Facebook and Instagram: search "Help WATTS" • Partner organizations mentioned: Winchester CCAP, Family Promise Winchester Area, Winchester Rescue Mission  • Comprehensive local resource directory — Concern Hotline (the most accurate, up-to-date list) • Winchester Police Department Addiction Recovery Team • Community Paramedic THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations. New podcast episodes drop weekdays at 11 AM. Catch the show on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports 1450 AM weekdays just after noon. Subscribe and listen at thevalleytodaypodcast.com — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to leave a rating or review — it helps more listeners find us. Connect with us: Facebook — facebook.com/ValleyTodayFanPage Instagram — instagram.com/thevalleytoday