HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — As abnormally cold temperatures settle across the Tampa Bay region, cold weather shelters are opening their doors to provide warmth, meals, and safety for people in need.
Hillsborough County officials say shelters are expected to fill quickly as multiple nights of cold weather move through the area. Many locations rely heavily on volunteers to help prepare the shelter.
According to Hillsborough County Community Services, cold weather shelters activate when the temperatures drop to 40 degrees or below overnight for at least two consecutive hours.
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“Typically, on a cold weather shelter activation night, we’d have between 300 and 400 folks that were sheltering. Because it looks like we’re going to have multiple evenings of cold weather, we’re looking at very high capacity, probably pushing over 400,” said Laura Rice, who works with the county.
When that threshold is met, the county notifies nonprofit partners who begin preparing the facilities.
Officials encourage people to stay with family or friends if possible. Families with little kids may qualify for hotel vouchers through Metropolitan Ministries.
At the Hyde Park Church of God of Prophecy, volunteers work quickly to transform their space into a temporary shelter.
“When the weather is a certain temperate we open up our facility. Our humble abode, we’re able to accommodate 10 to 11 people,” said Garry Forbes from the Hyde Park Church of God of Prophecy.
Garry Forbes said it is hard work, but it is needed.
“It is a labor of love, but we are willing to do it. We are in it for the long haul,” Forbes said.
After each cold night, volunteers clean mats, wash blankets, and reset the space.
“The next day will be wash, rinse, repeat until the weather lets up,” Forbes said.
The Portico Cafe in downtown Tampa is another location open as a cold shelter.
The shelter can accommodate about 60 people on cold nights and relies heavily on volunteers.
Justin LaRosa with the Portico Cafe said, “It is quite an extreme operation, then we have to take all the blankets and get those washed. We have to wipe down all the mats so a big operation but it’s a blessing.”
Justin LaRosa from the Portico Cafe said they are in need of more volunteers. Email Justin@portico.org if you are interested in helping out.
Click here for an updated list of cold weather shelters across Tampa Bay.
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