Immediate Release

Dec. 23, 2020

 

Media Contacts

Cliff Smith, Coordinator, Pinellas County Cold Night Shelter Program, (727) 698-1809

Lauren Wolf, Coordinator, Pinellas County Cold Night Shelter Program, (813) 951-5632

 

 

Pinellas: Cold weather shelters to open to homeless Christmas night

Due to forecasted low temperatures, the Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas County will activate shelters Friday and Saturday

 

Volunteers will open cold weather shelters on Christmas night to provide a warm, safe space for residents experiencing homelessness to avoid cold temperatures this weekend. The shelters will open the nights of Friday, Dec. 25 and Saturday, Dec. 26 from approximately 7 p.m. and close the following morning at 6 a.m. Shelter guests are provided a hot evening meal and breakfast the following morning. Guests will be advised if the shelter will be open on additional nights as conditions warrant.

 

The following cold weather shelters are available to adult men and women:

 

Clearwater

MLK Jr Neighborhood Center

1201 Douglas Ave

Clearwater, FL 33755

(813) 951-5632

Note: This shelter opens at 8 p.m.

 

Pinellas Park

Boy and Girls Club of the Suncoast in Pinellas Park

7709 61st Street N.

Pinellas Park, FL 33781

(727) 547-5437

 

St. Petersburg

Northwest Presbyterian Church

6330 54th Avenue N.

St. Petersburg, FL 33706

(727) 544-4551

 

The Turning Point

1810 5th Avenue N.

St. Petersburg, FL 33713

(727) 823-7811

 

Salvation Army

1400 4th Street S.

St. Petersburg, FL 33705

(727) 822-4954

 

Tarpon Springs

Boys and Girls Club of Tarpon Springs

111 W. Lime Street

Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

(727) 937-6837

 

Families with children will be placed in family shelters on cold nights. Families should call 2-1-1, Tampa Bay Cares, Inc., for information about family shelters.

 

“Working at a homeless cold weather shelter on Christmas night is a unique and wonderful thing,” said Lauren Wolf, who coordinates the program with Cliff Smith. “This is neighbors helping neighbors and is the ultimate expression of the Christmas spirit.”

 

This giving spirit is present year-round for the volunteers, organizers and faith-based and community centers who open their doors to serve our houseless neighbors. However, this year is especially challenging due to COVID-19. Fewer volunteers are able to help, while more are required for temperature checks and distribution of face masks and sanitizer. With the number of homeless residents on the rise, social distancing requiring more physical space, and cleaning and safety protocols, covering basic expenses has become an even bigger challenge.

 

“We are grateful to a community that is always willing to support those in need,” said the program’s co-coordinator Cliff Smith. “At this time when all faiths come together during a season of giving, we are hoping for continued support and assistance to continue helping our most vulnerable individuals.”

 

For information on volunteering and supporting cold weather shelters, contact Cliff Smith at msuspartanman@msn.com or Lauren Wolf at lwolf@learning-empowered.org, or visit www.pinellashomeless.org/get-involved.

 

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