With freezing temps in the forecast, cold night sheltering opens late Sunday in Leon County

    By
    Gina Jordan
    -
    547
    A man and a woman looking at the camera

    Freezing temperatures are in the forecast for the Big Bend. A freeze warning will go into effect during the wee hours Monday. As a result, cold night shelters will open Sunday.

    This message was sent on behalf of Big Bend Continuum of Care (BBCoC), Connecting Everyone with Second Chances (CESC)/The Kearney Center, Leon County Government, and the City of Tallahassee:

    By recommendation of local health experts and due to sustained cold night temperatures at or below 35 degrees on SUNDAY night, local governments and community partners will conduct overnight sheltering to keep those experiencing homelessness safe.

    All overnight sheltering activities will be conducted according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and in coordination with Leon County Emergency Management. Public health safety measures include socially distanced sleeping, face coverings, and enhanced sanitation practices.

    Anyone needing cold night sheltering on these nights should go to The Kearney Center located at 2650 Municipal Way from 5pm to 9pm for intake. If needed, overflow sheltering will be provided by community partner sites to shelter overnight and leave the following morning at 7 a.m. Transportation will be provided by the City of Tallahassee’s Star Metro bus service.

    If you need assistance accessing Star Metro, please call or text our Street Outreach Coordinator at 850-759-1895 or email outreach@bigbendcoc.org.

    The homeless population has been informed of cold night shelter operations via in-person communication and also a text to phone service.

    For those who need more information on cold night shelter planning, call the Big Bend Continuum of Care Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (850) 792-5015. For after hours or weekends, call the CESC/Kearney Center at 850-792-9000.

    Cold night sheltering is made possible by the following key partners, including local governments, nonprofit agencies, and faith-based organizations:

    • Leon County Government
    • City of Tallahassee
    • Leon County Health Department
    • Big Bend Continuum of Care
    • Connecting Everyone with Second Chances (CESC)/The Kearney Center
    • Big Bend Homeless Coalition/Hope Community
    • Jacob Chapel Baptist Church
    • First Baptist Church
    • Capital City Youth Services (CCYS)
    • ALSCO

    For more information, call Big Bend Continuum of Care at (850) 792-5015.