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Twin Cities prepare to help those in need through cold weather stretch

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Published  February 15, 2025 6:28pm CST
Winter Weather
FOX 9

Organizations gear up for upcoming severe cold

Twin Cities organizations are brainstorming ways to protect the most vulnerable populations ahead of cold temperatures in the forecast. FOX 9's Babs Santos has the full story.

The Brief

    • Catholic Charities plans to extend its shelter hours in the cold week ahead.
    • Hennepin County is offering warming stations.
    • The Salvation Army will use its service centers as warming centers.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - With temperatures expected to drop below zero this week, a dangerous forecast in the Twin Cities has many brainstorming ways to help protect our most vulnerable populations.

Nonprofits and local leaders prepare

What they're saying:

Hennepin County leaders plan to offer warming stations. Meanwhile in St. Paul, through Thursday, Catholic Charities has extended its hours of operations at the Dorothy Day campus to 9 p.m.

"It’ll be a little different… we’ve been trying to get more hand warmers and gloves, and more staff as well," client advocate coordinator Antonio Horton said.

Tracy Alexander is currently staying at the shelter, "I only go out if necessary, if I have to, and then if I have to go out, I just make sure I have layers on," Alexander told FOX 9.

The Salvation Army is also taking action. This week their seven metro area service centers will be open as warming centers during regular business hours.

"People can come and sit down with us, get warm, have something warm to drink. If they have nowhere else to go, they know they can come to the Salvation Army," Salvation Army spokesperson Dany Furry said. "When it’s super cold, we’ll [have] more people coming in."

More information on Salvation Army resources

Dig deeper:

The following is a list of Salvation Army service center locations serving as warming centers:

  • Brooklyn Park Salvation Army, 10011 Noble Parkway, (763) 425-0517
  • Maplewood Salvation Army, 2080 Woodlynn Ave., (651) 779-9177
  • North Minneapolis Salvation Army, 2024 Lyndale Ave. N., (612) 522-4871
  • Northeast Minneapolis Salvation Army, 2727 Central Ave. NE, (612) 789-2858
  • South Minneapolis Salvation Army, 1604 E. Lake St., (612) 721-1513
  • St. Paul Eastside Salvation Army, 1019 Payne Ave., (651) 776-8169
  • St. Paul West 7th Salvation Army, 401 W. 7th St., (651) 224-4316

In addition, The Salvation Army’s Harbor Light emergency shelter has made an additional 40 beds available for the entire months of January and February. 

While these extra "Arctic Overflow" accommodations will be available through the end of February, they are also activated for any other night when windchills are expected to approach zero degrees or lower. 

Those seeking emergency overnight shelter should contact Adult Shelter Connect at 612-248-2350 for availability.

Winter WeatherHennepin CountySt. Paul