PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – As temperatures are set to drop, Pinellas County is opening cold night shelters for anyone needing a safe place to sleep. The Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas announced that shelters will be open tonight, Tuesday, Jan. 27, and tomorrow night, Wednesday, Jan. 28. These shelters activate whenever the local weather forecast predicts the “feels like” temperature will dip to 40 degrees or below.
Guests are welcome starting at 6 p.m. and can stay until 6 a.m. the following morning. The goal is to make sure everyone has a warm spot to rest. Most locations provide a meal, and all of them offer a safe environment out of the cold. Guests are accepted at each site until it is full, so it is a good idea to arrive on time.
To help people get to these locations, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is offering free bus rides. This service is available from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next day. You do not need a pass or cash; simply tell the bus driver that you are heading to a cold night shelter, and the ride is free.
READ: Frosty The Iceman To Invade Stadium Series In Tampa On Gasparilla?
There are several locations available for adult men and women across the county. In Tarpon Springs, St. Timothy Lutheran Church on East Tarpon Avenue is open. For those in Clearwater, First United Methodist Church on Turner Street is available and allows leashed or contained pets.
If you are in Pinellas Park, you have two options. The Boys & Girls Club on 61st Street North is open, as is the First United Methodist Church on 49th Street North. The church location in Pinellas Park also allows leashed or contained pets.
READ: Unlucky Break: Hotel Manager’s Request Leads To 18-Year Sentence For Lakeland Dealer
St. Petersburg has multiple shelters open. The Unitarian Universalist Church on Mirror Lake Drive North is an option, though guests should know this location requires the use of stairs. The Salvation Army on 4th Street South is also open but requires a valid ID to enter. Other St. Pete locations include Allendale Church on Haines Road North and Northwest Church on 54th Avenue North, which welcomes leashed or contained pets.
Families with children have a different process. They should call 2-1-1 to reach First Contact, where they can find information about family shelters based on available space.
Running these shelters takes a lot of work, and the community needs help. The Homeless Leadership Alliance is currently looking for volunteers to assist during these cold nights. Anyone interested in lending a hand can sign up on their website.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
