PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – It is going to be a cold weekend, so local leaders are making sure everyone has a warm place to sleep. The Homeless Leadership Alliance announced that cold night shelters will be open this Saturday, Jan. 31, and Sunday, Feb. 1.
These shelters are activated whenever the National Weather Service predicts the “feels like” temperature will drop to 40 degrees or lower. The doors open at 6 p.m. and close at 6 a.m. the following morning. Guests are welcome to stay until the shelters are full. Every location provides a safe, warm environment, and many of them serve a meal as well.
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Getting to a shelter is free. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is providing bus rides at no cost to anyone heading to a cold night shelter. These free rides run from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next day. To get a free ride, you just need to tell the bus driver that you are going to a shelter.
There are locations open across the county for adult men and women. In Tarpon Springs, St. Timothy Lutheran Church at 812 E. Tarpon Ave. is available. In Clearwater, the First United Methodist Church at 411 Turner St. is open and allows leashed or contained pets.
Pinellas Park has two options. You can go to the Boys & Girls Club at 7790 61st St. N, or the First United Methodist Church at 9025 49th St. N. The church location in Pinellas Park also allows leashed pets.
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St. Petersburg has several locations. The Unitarian Universalist Church at 100 Mirror Lake Drive N is open, but please note that this location has stairs. The Salvation Army at 1400 4th Street South is another option, though you must have a valid ID to enter. Allendale Church at 3803 Haines Rd. N is also participating. Finally, Northwest Church at 6330 54th Ave. N is open and allows leashed pets.
Families with children have a slightly different process. Instead of going directly to these sites, families should call 2-1-1 to check for space in designated family shelters.
The Homeless Leadership Alliance is also asking for help from the community. They need volunteers for this weekend and for future cold nights. If you are interested in helping out, you can find more information on their website.
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