Spokane, Cd’A opening warming centers for homeless

The cities of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene have activated warming centers in anticipation of extreme cold by this evening. Shelters are authorized to open their doors to the homeless beyond the facilities’ bed capacity when temperatures are forecast to drop below 15 degrees and when the shelters were full during the previous 24 hours. Beginning at 8 p.m. today, the House of Charity, 32 W. Pacific, will serve as a warming center for single men 18 and older. Hope House, 111 W. Third Ave., will open its doors to single women 18 and older, and The Salvation Army 222 E. Indiana Ave., will accommodate couples and families with children. The shelters will remain open until 7 a.m., according to a statement from the city Human Services Department. Crosswalk, 525 W. Second Ave., which shelters youths, had beds available on Sunday evening. In Coeur d’Alene, the St Vincent de Paul warming center at 117 E. Walnut will remain open through Thanksgiving. Doors open at 7 p.m. and those who come will have access to warm food, clothing, bathing facilities, sleeping bags and blankets. Also in Coeur d’Alene, the Fresh Start Warming Center at 1524 E. Sherman Ave. will open at 9 p.m. tonight. It is a joint venture between Fresh Start and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, and is made possible by hundreds of donors and volunteers. Fresh Start has a capacity of 64 overnight guests. The overflow Warming Center at St. Luke’s has a capacity of 40 overnight guests. Fresh Start is asking for more donations, including food, warm clothing, tents, tarps and sleeping bags, shampoo, laundry soap, towels and other supplies. “We also need additional volunteers to help keep the center open,” according to a press release. Fresh Start will serve a full turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. For more information about Fresh Start, please contact Howard Martinson at (208) 661-1524.