PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – Pinellas County is shifting into gear as a cold snap heads for the coast, triggering the activation of emergency shelters for Monday night, Feb. 23. The Homeless Leadership Alliance confirmed the move after the National Weather Service projected “feels like” temperatures to dip to 40 degrees or lower. To ensure residents can get out of the wind, the shelters will operate from 6 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Recognizing that transportation is often the biggest hurdle during a freeze, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is stepping in to offer free bus rides. Starting at 5 p.m. Monday and running through 7 a.m.
Tuesday, anyone heading to or from a designated shelter can ride without paying a fare. Passengers simply need to inform the bus driver of their destination when boarding.
Shelter options are spread across the county to accommodate as many people as possible. In Tarpon Springs, St. Timothy Lutheran Church is opening its doors, while Clearwater’s First United Methodist Church on Turner Street will welcome guests and their leashed or contained pets.
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Pinellas Park residents have two main options: the Boys & Girls Club on 61st St. N and the First United Methodist Church on 49th St. N, which also allows pets.
Further south in St. Petersburg, three locations are available. The Unitarian Universalist Church at Mirror Lake is open to those who can navigate stairs, while the Salvation Army on 4th Street South is available for those with a valid ID. Allendale Church on Haines Road rounds out the city’s options. Most sites aim to provide a meal alongside a safe place to sleep, though space is strictly first-come, first-served.
Families with children face a slightly different process. Instead of heading to the general adult shelters, families are encouraged to call 2-1-1 to access First Contact services, which coordinate specialized family shelter placements based on available space.
As the county prepares for the surge in guests, the Homeless Leadership Alliance is putting out a call for community help. They are currently seeking volunteers to assist with this Monday’s activation and future cold-weather events. Detailed information for those looking to help, or for those needing to check specific bus routes, is available on the alliance’s website.
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