MANSFIELD — The ARC Empowerment Center is running a warming center through Sunday, allowing unhoused people to seek shelter from the bitter cold.
The center opens at 7:30 p.m. each night at 378 Park Ave. West. Guests must leave by 7:30 a.m due to other programs operating in the building.
The entrance to the warming center is located on the Sycamore Street side of the building. For security reasons, no guests will be admitted after 10 p.m., unless escorted by police.
Amanda Nichols, executive director of Project One, said the warming center will be open through Sunday. The center will continue to operate whenever temperatures are below 32 degrees — provided there are enough volunteers.
Volunteers are given a binder with procedures and may be asked to make coffee or hot chocolate for guests.
“It’s pretty much just monitoring, making sure those who come in sign in, they know the rules,” she said.
The center opened Jan. 21 and has averaged about eight people per night. There are currently 15 cots available. The center accepts both men and women.
Nichols said no one has brought children to the center yet, but there is a separate space in the ARC building for families if the need arises.
Nichols and her husband saw the need for a warming center while working with those facing homelessness and addiction through Project One ministries.
“A lot of times the Harmony House is full, so we thought ‘What’s going to happen in the winter time?’” she recalled.
Finding volunteers to staff the warming center has been the biggest challenge.
“We always want a guy and a girl, it’s nice if we can have three to four volunteers a night,” Nichols said.
Nichols said there will always be at least one volunteer per shift with prior experience.
Individuals interested in volunteering can call 567-241-6781. The community can also support the warming center through financial donations to Project One.
The center is also in need of bottled water, snacks, socks, hats, gloves, scarves and frozen soups that can be prepared in a crockpot.
