As Baltimore braces for an icy blast, the city's Mayor's Office of Homeless Services (MOHS) has activated its Code Purple winter shelters, a move aimed to quickly provide warmth and refuge for those without homes. According to Fox Baltimore, the emergency shelters opened at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and will remain open through 9 a.m. Saturday, as the region's temperatures are forecast to dip with wind chill reaching or falling below freezing.
The activation of warming centers coincides with a larger cold snap across parts of Maryland. A polar vortex threatens to lower the mercury substantially, with the National Weather Service alerting travelers to the region, especially those bound for Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and western Maryland, to be ready to face temperatures that are "leaning below" the norm. This cold wave comes at a time when holiday traffic is expected to hit record highs, as noted by CBS News. In this context, Baltimore's rapid response seems all the more critical to ensure both natives to the city and visitors alike have options to stay safe and warm.
For those in need of shelter, the Baltimore City Shelter Hotline at 443-984-9540 has extended its hours during the Code Purple days, with additional help available between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. via the Winter Shelter Hotline at 443-695-7378. A variety of locations, including the Sleep Inn & Suites Hotel, MCVET, and the Weinberg Housing & Resource Center (WHRC), will serve as overnight shelters, while Continuum of Care (CoC) providers like Beans & Bread and the Franciscan Center will operate as warming centers during select hours. Details and contact information for these centers have been comprehensively listed on the city's website.
