People's Shelter opens day early to help homeless during cold weather

As temperatures begin to dip below freezing, The People’s Shelter is opening its doors to the homeless once again.

Located in the basement of St. James A.M.E. Church, the shelter has provided warmth to unhoused citizens since January 2018.

Although she initially planned to wait until today to open the shelter, the Rev. Renita Green made the decision early Thursday to open one day earlier.

“I stepped out my door this morning and said, ‘If it’s going to be this cold this morning, it’s going to be even colder tonight,’” Green said. “We can’t not be open.”

Temperatures lingered in the mid-30s Thursday morning with gusts at speeds of up to 25 mph, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a freeze watch for Thursday night and forecast an evening low around 28 degrees.

St. James A.M.E. Church is seen Jan. 11, 2018, in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Spearhead by Green, the warming center is supported in part by First Presbyterian Church this year and welcomes volunteers, she said.

In 2018, The People’s Shelter provided overnight housing to a total of 70 homeless people over the course of 45 days. Green said they sheltered about 25 individuals per night on average, and estimated servicing about 300 people over the course of 2019.

Green said she has already received calls from the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments about vacancies at the shelter.

“I’m almost nervous the need [for shelter] is going to be greater this year,” Green said.

The People’s Shelter is at 516 North St. in Cape Girardeau and opens at 7 p.m. on any night with temperatures below 32 degrees.

Those interested in volunteering at the shelter can register for training online at www.thepeoplesshelter.com or by visiting The People’s Shelter on Facebook. For more information, call (573) 334-9119.

“We’re just always so appreciative of the community sharing their love and caring about people,” Green said.