As a cold snap settled over the metro area Monday night, Oregon City opened an emergency warming shelter so people without reliable heat had somewhere safe and warm to go. The Father’s Heart Street Ministry began welcoming guests at 6 p.m., with organizers promising a hot dinner shortly after doors opened.
The activation is aimed at people experiencing homelessness, along with anyone else at serious risk in the cold, offering an overnight refuge from dropping temperatures.
In a Facebook post Monday, Clackamas County announced that The Father’s Heart at 603 12th Street would operate as an overnight site and encouraged volunteers to sign up online. The county noted the 6 p.m. opening time and said dinner would follow soon after guests arrived. Organizers also shared a volunteer registration form on SignUp.com, where people can choose shift times and get check-in details.
Where To Go And What To Expect
The Father’s Heart Street Ministry is listed as an overnight winter warming shelter at 603 12th Street in Oregon City, with intake information and a phone number available for immediate questions. According to 211info, the site opens in the evening and stays open through the night when wind chill or temperatures drop to 33°F or below, providing dinner and snacks to guests.
Service animals on a leash or in carriers are accepted, and staff ask guests to sign in at the door so they can keep track of who is inside and what people might need.
County Cold‑Weather Rules
Clackamas County maintains a network of severe‑weather warming centers and activates overnight locations when conditions are forecast to be dangerous, generally when temperatures or wind chill are predicted at 33°F or lower, according to Clackamas County. The county partners with local nonprofits to run the shelters and coordinates outreach and transportation so people can actually reach a bed during extreme cold.
Anyone looking for shelter or updated information is asked to call 2‑1‑1 or the shelter’s intake number to confirm current status before heading out.
How To Volunteer Or Get Help
People who want to pitch in can use the registration form linked in the county’s social post, and anyone needing a warm place to stay can contact The Father’s Heart directly at the number listed in shelter directories. Volunteer registration is available through SignUp.com, and callers can reach intake at 503‑722‑9780 or dial 2‑1‑1 for up‑to‑the‑minute shelter listings. For background on warming‑center locations and opening criteria, see 211info.
Local coverage of winter shelter activations in the region has shown that cold snaps can quickly fill available beds and drain supplies, while transit agencies sometimes coordinate rides to warming sites during storms. Those patterns highlight why volunteers and donations are in high demand when the temperatures plunge. KPTV has reported on past regional shelter activations and transportation support during previous winter weather events.
