Cold weather conditions continuing through the end of the week has preparations being made for sheltering availability by Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota officials.
Lee County and its partners activate cold-weather outreach plan
Lee County Government is coordinating with its partner agencies for cold-weather outreach this week.
Lee County Emergency Management, the Lee County Department of Human & Veteran Services, Lee County Transit (LeeTran) and additional partners typically coordinate plans during timeframes in which the temperature drops below 40 degrees for a period of time.
Plans include:
- Today, Jan. 23, and Friday, Jan. 24, in the evenings: The Salvation Army will have a limited number of single beds available on a first come first serve basis. Individuals who are seeking respite from the weather are encouraged to contact the Salvation Army at 239-789-1169 for availability.
- Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25, in the mornings: LeeTran will provide warming bus stations 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. at:
- Cape Coral Transfer Center, 820 SE 47th Terrace, Cape Coral
- Edison Mall Transfer Center, 4300 Solomon Drive, Fort Myer (The transfer center is at the south end of the Edison Mall parking lot)
Additionally, Human & Veteran Services (HVS) staff as part of the Housing, Outreach and Treatment (HOT) teams are reaching out to individuals throughout the community to offer information and resources to those who are experiencing homelessness. HOT teams are providing cold-weather supplies such as jackets, socks, blankets and handwarmers.
The Lee County HVS coordinated entry phone line also is available by calling 239-533-7996. The department’s HVS Reach app, which is a free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play is another way individuals experiencing homelessness can garner information. App users should sign up to receive push alerts to receive timely updates.
Charlotte County cold weather shelter open Thursday, Friday nights
The Charlotte CARE Center (formerly the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition), 1476 Kenesaw St., Port Charlotte, will provide shelter to persons needing refuge from the cold on Thursday and Friday nights, Jan. 23 and 24. Guests will need to pre-register by calling 941-627-4313 and arrive by 8 p.m.
Sarasota County sheltering plans
Sarasota County Emergency Management officials have coordinated with municipal and community partners to provide cold weather shelter for those individuals in need due to the predicted drop in temperatures. Those attending should bring their own sleeping materials.
Cold weather shelters will be offered tonight, Jan. 23, and Friday, Jan. 24, at the locations below:
100 Church
14525 Tamiami Trail, North Port
Cold weather shelter will be open at 100 Church on Thursday, Jan. 23, and Friday, Jan. 24, from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. A meal will be provided.
Salvation Army
1400 10th St., Sarasota
Cold weather shelter will be open at the Salvation Army on Thursday, Jan. 23, and Friday, Jan. 24, from 5 p.m. until 6 a.m. A meal will be provided.
- In the City of Sarasota, the Salvation Army is a 0.2-mile walk from the Breeze bus stop on Orange Avenue @ 10th St (Routes 7 and 8), or a 0.3-mile walk from the Breeze bus stop on Cocoanut Avenue @ 9th Street (Routes 2 and 99).
- In the City of North Port, Breeze Route 9 is operating on a normal schedule and serves stops on Tamiami Trail at Espanola Avenue/Almonte Terrace (a 0.1-mile walk to 100 Church). Those in the North Port service area could also use Breeze OnDemand services.
- Visit www.scgov.net/breeze for information on Breeze services. The Breeze Rider app can also be used to check bus arrival times and plan routes.
Emergency Management officials remind residents that pets should not be left outside during the cold weather. Those who need to be outside overnight or during the early morning hours are encouraged to dress in several warm layers and limit skin exposure to the wind.
Sarasota County Fire Department officials advise using extreme caution when heating your home, as the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning increases during very cold weather due to the improper use of heating devices. More heating safety tips can be found here.
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