As the chill of winter clings to St. Louis, the city is ensuring that those without a roof over their heads can find respite from the cold. The City of St. Louis has announced that it will be providing more than 450 emergency shelter beds through Thursday morning, due to the drop in temperatures warranting a Code Blue level 3 activation. This activation is triggered by temperatures that linger at 25°F or just below, but remain above 10°F.
Residents will have access to these emergency shelter beds on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights, supplementing the 400 year-round beds typically available. Exception being made for Monday, when a slight rise in temperatures will enact a Code Blue level 2, resulting in the closure of some shelters and the suspension of transportation for that night.
For those seeking shelter, there are multiple accessible options. Walk-up shelters include Peter & Paul - Jugan Shelter at 3225 N. Florissant Ave. for single men, women, and families, Biddle Housing Opportunities Center at 1212 N. 13th St. for single men, and Peter & Paul - Kingshighway Shelter at 3205 S. Kingshighway Blvd. for both single men and women. Those with pets or families can make appointments through the United Way 211 Helpline or by speaking to a coordinator at a rally point for additional locations. In the event a walk-up shelter has no available space, transportation will be provided to another shelter with capacity.
A range of rally point locations are operating across the city, offering transportation to shelters between 5 and 7 p.m during Code Blue level 3 and 4 activations. There are sites like the Urban League Women's Business Center at 4401 Natural Bridge Ave., Centenary United Methodist Church at 1610 Olive St. (enter on Pine Street), and the Loughborough Commons Parking Lot at 1020 Loughborough Ave. This places feature either warming buses or indoor warming facilities, with Metro Call-A-Ride shuttles transporting individuals to shelter.
For those in need of alternate travel arrangements, the United Way 211 Helpline can be reached by simply dialing 211.
.jpg){kind=link}