CENTRAL FLORIDA — As cold air continues to push across Central Florida, some counties plan to open cold weather shelters on Monday and Tuesday night as temperatures are forecasted to drop below 40 degrees in some areas.
Brevard County
LifePointe Ministries in Titusville will open an inclement weather shelter at the Titusville Civic Center over the next few nights.
On Monday night, the shelter opened at 9 p.m. because of a previously scheduled event at the civic center. It will close at 9 a.m., Tuesday.
On Tuesday evening, the shelter at the civic center will reopen at 5 p.m. and then close again at 9 a.m., Wednesday.
The shelter is expected to reopen again at 5 p.m., Wednesday and close at 9 a.m., Thursday.
Hot meals and showers will be available.
“Many people talk and think about it as homelessness, and certainly, those people who benefit from a cold night shelter typically are experiencing homelessness, or they have a home with no heat in it,” said Pastor Royce Morrison.
Pets are welcome at the shelter but must be crated in a separate building.
LifePointe is seeking volunteers and donations to help with the effort.
Volunteers can reach out on LifePointe's Facebook page. Tax-deductible donations are being accepted at LifePointe's website.
Flagler County
The Sheltering Tree will open its cold-weather shelter Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Rock Transformation Center for those who don’t have a warm and safe place to stay.
“Our cold snaps are hitting early this season — just barely out of hurricane season. We urge anyone without adequate housing or adequate heat to come to the cold-weather shelter,” said Health and Human Services Director Joseph Hegedus. “The Sheltering Tree and the Rock Transformation Center will provide cots and meals.”
The county will provide bus transportation along two routes, following these schedules:
East side of the county
Dollar General at Publix Town Center on Market Avenue (leads to Dollar General), 3:30 p.m.
McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100 at the dirt road on the east side, 4 p.m.
Dollar Tree behind Carrabba’s in the Dollar Tree Parking lot, 4:30 p.m.
Palm Coast Main Branch Library, northwest corner of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway, 4:45 p.m.
West side of the county
Dollar General at County Road 305 and Canal Avenue in Daytona North, 4 p.m.
Bunnell Free Clinic, 703 Moody Boulevard, 4:30 p.m.
Bridges United Methodist Church in Bunnell, 205 N. Pine Street, 4:30 p.m. (listed as the same pickup time because of the close proximity)
The Rock Transformation Center is located at 2200 N. State Street.
The cold-weather shelter will open at 5 p.m. and will close at 8 a.m. the following day.
For more information, call 386-437-3258.
Lake County
Lake County is opening a cold-weather shelter to assist those vulnerable to freezing on Dec. 2 and 3 at LifePointe Church at 3551 East Orange Ave. in Eustis.
The shelter opens at 5 p.m. each day and closes at 8 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
LakeXpress, the county’s fixed-route bus service, will provide free transportation for residents riding to the shelter. Residents may ride LakeXpress for free to the Citizens or Ardice Transfer Centers from any stop by telling the driver they are traveling to the cold weather shelter. Residents who cannot access LakeXpress but need travel accommodations to the cold weather shelter may call Lake County Connection at 352-742-2612 by 5 p.m. to arrange transportation.
Lake County buses will be available at 7 a.m. to transport residents to regularly scheduled stops in the morning.
Osceola County
First United Methodist Church of St. Cloud will open Tuesday evening as a cold weather shelter for those experiencing homelessness.
Its doors at 5 p.m. and provide a nighttime refuge, officials said.
Those needing transportation to the shelter location can travel at no cost using LYNX buses by alerting drivers that they will be going to the cold weather shelter. Pets are housed at Osceola Animal Services during the operation. Any animals will need to be in a carrier before they board, unless they are service dog.
People can sign up for alerts on their phone by texting ‘coldweather’ to 888777.
Volusia County
The Neighborhood Center's The Bridge will open a cold weather shelter nightly from Dec. 2 through 4 due to the cold weather. The shelter at 421 S. Palmetto Ave. in DeLand will open at 6:30 p.m. and close at 8 a.m. the following morning. For more information, call the Neighborhood Center at 386-734-8120, ext. 601.
On the county's east side, residents can arrange for sheltering by calling Halifax Urban Ministries at 386-317-5886.