The Salvation Army will continue to operate its warming center at its Plum Street location in Springfield. The idea is to accommodate those who do not have a warm place to stay.
The center, 15 S. Plum St., will offer meals, beverages as well as provide a socially-distanced non-congregant option to those seeking to stay out of the cold.
It will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the week and will continue to be operational as long as the area faces frigid temperatures, said Jamie Scanlon, the director of Social Ministries for the local Salvation Army.
Some of the food that will be provided will come from the Second Harvest Food Bank, while some Salvation Army staff and volunteers have purchased food to be served at the warming center.
Scanlon said they will also be working to address the needs of those who come to the warming center. She said that includes looking to provide a safe place as well as looking at shelter options for those who need one.
“We don’t want people to be afraid to come in. We are not going to turn them away,” she said.
Scanlon added that the Salvation Army is working with the Interfaith Hospitality Network, which provides services to the homeless, as well as with a local motel to provide rooms.
“Our goal is to get them into shelter for the next several days until (Interfaith) has a space for them,” she said.
Interfaith has been working with the City of Springfield as well as local hotels and motels to provide emergency shelter for those who are homeless.
Fred Stegner, who runs the Springfield Soup Kitchen at 830 W. Main St., in Springfield, said he has contacted Interfaith on behalf of some who have pitched tents behind his space.
Stegner said those who have taken shelter behind the soup kitchen do not have phones or a way to contact Interfaith for those services. He said those who camped out behind the kitchen have since been transitioned to other forms of shelter.
Stegner said that Inside Out, at 501 S. Wittenberg Ave., is also offering an emergency shelter to those who need it. He said that the soup kitchen has donated about a dozen cots earlier this month to be used by that organization.
Stegner said that the soup kitchen continues to provide meals to those who need it.
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