Warming shelters continue combating cold
As bitter cold and winter weather moved in this weekend, community outreach groups created spaces for people to escape the chilly temperatures. Some sites will extend their efforts into this week.
According to the National Weather Service of Pittsburgh, Butler County will see its lowest temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday, possibly reaching the single digits. On Wednesday night, temperatures may further plummet, possibly dropping below zero.
One place to stay warm is the Grapevine Center at 140 N. Elm St. in Butler. It is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all year long.
According to executive director Bette Peoples, the center will sometimes see upwards of 40 people a day.
“On a snowy day, if we can’t offer transport, it’s very few (people),” Peoples said. “On a good day, we’ll get 40 to 45 people.”
The center offers free coffee and snacks, with community meals on Sundays and the last Saturday of the month. Peoples said there are always board games available for people to pass the time and the center will even hold educational classes.
“Some people will come in every day just to play cards,” Peoples said. “We bring in people from various nursing homes. We’d love to bring in more people.”
Those employed at Grapevine are often able to relate to visitors, Peoples said.
“We have staff who have been homeless before, so they know what it’s like,” she said.
The Butler Salvation Army Corps, at 313 W. Cunningham St., was open as a warming center for certain hours over the past weekend. Despite temperatures in the single digits, a representative said no one made use of the space.
Though there is nothing planned for the coming cold days, the Salvation Army’s normal lunch program will continue Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Grace Youth and Family Foundation in Butler also had no plans to open a community warming center this week. Though the foundation no longer offers a warming center, founder and CEO Bill Halle said they seek to find long-term solutions for the less fortunate in the winter.
“We want to get people back to families or communities of support. Instead of just providing a night or two out of the cold, we’re really looking at the best use of the limited resources we have to get them to long-term support,” Halle said. “When we provide emergency shelter, we prioritize our funding toward veterans and families with children.”
