With a winter storm dragging temperatures down across St. Louis, Hope Nation International Church's emergency shelter in north city is trying to pull off a tough balancing act: stay open around the clock while the bills keep climbing. Church leaders say soaring utility and food costs are making 24/7 operations harder to sustain, even as the shelter typically beds down about 20 to 30 people a night and serves prepared meals, most of it handled by unpaid volunteers.
As reported by KSDK, Bishop Michael Robinson put out a simple pitch to keep the doors open: he is asking for "100 people to donate $24 each" to help cover increased gas, electric and food expenses so the shelter can stay running. That report notes that organizers shared a phone number and a Cash App option so people can send money quickly while the storm is underway.
Church runs City Hope STL program
Hope Nation's website describes its City Hope STL outreach as a social services nonprofit that operates the shelter and several other programs tied to the church's north St. Louis site on Maffitt Avenue. The online giving hub highlights that outreach work and directs supporters to a donation portal. Hope Nation's donate page shows a Cash App QR code along with additional donation information, which church leaders point to as one of the fastest ways to get help to the shelter.
How the shelter operates
Local reporting from KMOV has documented that Hope Nation has opened as a 24/7 warming site during past extreme cold snaps and shared the contact number for City Hope St. Louis that organizers use to connect people with beds. Christopher McKinney, who helps oversee the shelter, told KSDK that volunteers prepare three meals a day for guests and that most of the staffing is unpaid, which is why covering basic costs has become the immediate fundraising focus.
City response and shelter network
The City of St. Louis manages winter sheltering through its Code Blue protocols and keeps an updated roster of emergency shelter activations and warming centers, directing people who need help to call United Way at 211 for placement and transportation. City postings indicate that additional beds and rally points are brought online when temperatures plunge, and local coverage has shown libraries and community groups stepping in as warming centers during the storm. For official details on activations and walk up shelter options, residents are advised to follow the city's information.
How to help now
For those looking to move quickly, the church's donate page features a Cash App QR code for digital gifts, and organizers say they are actively accepting contributions through that channel. Anyone who wants to donate or ask about services by phone can call City Hope St. Louis at 314-614-9843, a number that has been shared with local media. Church leaders say that small, rapid contributions are what will keep the shelter heated, stocked with food and staffed as the cold snap continues.
