Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Chicagoans should call 3-1-1 if they need weather-related assistance in frigid winter weather, including access to homeless shelters or city warming centers.
Six neighborhood warming centers, listed below, are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays whenever temperatures go below 32 degrees. All residents can find safe refuge and relief from extreme cold weather at these locations.
Englewood Community Service Center
1140 West 79th StreetGarfield Community Service Center
10 South Kedzie AvenueDr. Martin Luther King Community Service Center
4314 South Cottage GroveNorth Area Community Service Center
845 West Wilson AvenueSouth Chicago Community Service Center
8650 South Commercial AvenueTrina Davila Community Service Center
4312 West North Avenue
In addition to functioning as a warming center, Garfield Community Service Center at 10 South Kedzie Avenue is open 24-hours day, seven days a week to connect families and residents to emergency shelter.
Chicago residents can also seek shelter at Chicago Public Library locations and select Park District buildings during business hours. Library locations and hours of operations available here. Park District information is available here.
In the suburbs, people can contact police non-emergency numbers to ask about warming centers, many of which are housed in police station lobbies and libraries. To find a warming center statewide, see www.keepwarm.illinois.gov
StreetLight Chicago, a free mobile app for homeless youth, provides alerts and allows users to find resources such as shelter and drop-in centers that serve unaccompanied youth through age 24. The free app can be downloaded from iTunes or Google Play.
Supported by the VNA Foundation, the app is co-managed by Young Invincibles and the Youth Futures legal aid clinic at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. A desktop version is available at www.streetlightchicago.org
People experiencing homelessness can seek legal aid by calling the CCH Law Project at 1 (800) 940-1119.
Updated January 18, 2022.
The post Where to turn for help when temperatures drop appeared first on Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.