With Cold Temperatures, Homeless Shelters and Warming Centers Gear Up

As extreme cold temperatures linger in the Northland, area organizations are working to ensure the homeless have a warm place to stay.

NORTHLAND – As extreme cold temperatures linger in the Northland, area organizations are working to ensure the homeless have a warm place to stay.

With temperatures expected to be freezing this weekend, shelters in Duluth and Superior are prepared to take on an influx of homeless needing a place to stay warm.

Over at Duluth’s CHUM, the drop-in center is open 24 hours while the warming facility at the Rainbow Center near the Tri Towers will be open from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday while also being open 24 hours on Sunday.

“We’re not going to turn anybody away so whoever shows up can come in,” said Deb Holman, CHUM Street Outreach. “So they might not get a bed but they’ll be able to hang out and be warm.”

CHUM’s drop-in center has been seeing about 80 to 90 people per night while the warming center can hold 49 people at its maximum capacity.

However, some either stay outside or in their cars because they’re afraid of getting COVID.

“People find that to be safer, they have their own space plus because of the pandemic, coming into a large congregate setting seems like not the best idea so people have been holding out as best they can but I can imagine a lot of those people will be coming in this next week,” said Joel Kilgour, the coordinator for the CHUM warming center.

On the other side of the bridge, the Ruth House on the 600 block of Grand Avenue is open seven days a week. The doors haven’t closed since the start of the pandemic.

There’s a maximum capacity limit of 35 people, and there is an average of 20 staying at any given night.

“Everybody knows that they’re welcomed here,” said Jack Swonger, the senior pastor of Walking Victorious Ministries. “We don’t judge people here. We encourage them to come here. But our main objective is to get them moving. We help them find housing and shelter but everyone’s welcomed here at the Ruth House.

The facility is making sure to social distance, sanitize every hour, and keep to cleanliness standards. When staying at the Ruth House, men and women stay in cots that are distanced and are on separate floors.

You can drop off warm hats, gloves, and mittens at CHUM. The Ruth House is looking for two to three-person tents for those who don’t want to stay at its facility.

Be sure to contact CHUM at 218-461-8505 or the Ruth House at 715-392-2833 if you are in need of assistance.