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Cold weather shelters open across western Washington as wintry weather moves in

Organizations across western Washington are beginning to open up their cold weather shelters as temperatures are near freezing in many areas.

King County overnight shelters

Information provided by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

Compass Housing Alliance – 210 Alaskan Way South, Seattle, open Monday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. (for adults 18+ only)

Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center – 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, open Tuesday, Nov. 29 through Sunday, Dec. 4 from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. (for adults 18+ only)

St. Dunstan’s Church – 722 North 145th Street, Seattle, open Monday, Nov. 28 from 8:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. (for single adults and couples only)

Highline United Methodist Church – 13015 1st Avenue South, Burien, open Monday, Nov. 28 through Wednesday, Nov. 30 from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m.

Old Chamber of Commerce Building – 300 Rainier Avenue North, Renton, open Monday, Nov. 28 and Tuesday, Nov. 29 from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Auburn Food Bank & Warming Center – 2806 Auburn Way North, open 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. (for single adults and couples only)

King County daytime warming shelters for single adults

Information provided by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

The Salvation Army Jefferson Day Center - 4th & Jefferson, open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Seattle Indian Center Day Center – 624 South Dearborn Street, open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Compass Day Center – 210 Alaskan Way South, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Immanuel Community Services – 1215 Thomas Street, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Urban Rest Stop, Ballard - 2014-B Northwest 57th Street, open weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Urban Rest Stop, Downtown – 1924 Ninth Avenue, open weekdays from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Chief Seattle Club Day Center – 410 2nd Avenue, Ext. S., open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (for Native/Indigenous individuals only)

Aurora Commons – 8914 Aurora Ave North, open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bread of Life Mission – 97 South Main Street, open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Immanuel Lutheran – 1215 Thomas Street, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

God’s Little Acre – 12517 33rd Avenue, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Congregations for the Homeless – Lincoln Center 515B, 116th Avenue Northeast, Suite 174, Bellevue, open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. (for male-identifying individuals only)

The Hangar at Town Square, Kenmore - 6728 Northeast 181st Street, open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday Nov. 28 through Saturday Dec. 2, open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays

King County daytime warming shelters for women, families and youth

Information provided by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

Elizabeth Gregory Home – 1604 NE 50th Street, open Sunday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (for women only)

Mary’s Place Day Center – 1830 Ninth Avenue, open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (for women or women with children only)

YouthCare Orion Center, downtown – 1828 Yale Avenue, open Monday and Wednesday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (for youth ages 12 - 24 only)

YouthCare University District – 4516 15th Avenue Northeast, open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (for youth ages 12 - 24 only)

YouthCare South Seattle – 9416 Rainier Ave South, open 24 hours a day, except when closed on Wednesdays from 12:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. (for youth ages 12 - 24 only)

Street Youth Ministries – 4540 15th Avenue Northeast, open Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

New Horizons Ministries – 2709 3rd Avenue, open Monday through Thursday, starting at 3 p.m.

Catholic Community Services – New Bethlehem Day Center, 11920 Northeast 80th Street Suite 100, Kirkland, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (for families with children only)

The Sophia Way – Sophia’s Place Day Center, 3032 Bellevue Way Northeast, Bellevue, open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (for woman-identifying individuals only)

Friends of Youth – 16101 Northeast 87th Street, Suite 110, Redmond, call 206-236-5437 for more information (for youth ages 13 - 25 only)

Snohomish County cold weather shelters

Information provided by the Snohomish County Public Safety Hub.

Community libraries are open to the public as daytime warming centers. To verify opening hours, visit the Sno-Isle Libraries or Everett Public Libraries websites.

Marysville Cold Weather Shelter – 7215 51st Avenue Northeast, intake hours are from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., call (425) 686-9272 for details

Everett Cold Weather Shelter – 1616 Pacific Avenue, intake hours are from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., call (425) 740-2550 for more details

Everett Family Cold Weather Shelter – 5126 South 2nd Street, intake hours are from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., contact speterson@egmission.org for details

Monroe Cold Weather Shelter – 1012 West Main Street, intake hours are from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m, call (425) 535-0000 for details

Snohomish Cold Weather Shelter – 210 Avenue B, intake hours are from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m, call (425) 535-0000 for details

South County Cold Weather Shelter – opens at 7 p.m, call (206) 743-9843 for more details.

Pierce County overnight shelters

A full list of Pierce County overnight shelters can be found on the Pierce County Homeless Coalition website.

Thirty-six degrees is the frigid threshold for emergency warming centers in Western Washington to open their doors and bring more people off the street.

“Most nights I’m freezing to the point where my muscles are locked up because of the cold and it hurts,” says Sharon, a young adult who has been living out of her car.

These stories combined with this week’s forecast, create a sense of urgency for people like Dominique Alex. She works as a program director at Mary’s Place in Seattle.

“Mary’s Place provides a place of safety, warmth, and community for families that are sleeping outside,” says Alex.

The organization operates five shelters for families in King County. Mary’s Place has made a commitment not to turn anyone away, despite the recent influx in those seeking shelter.

“We’re actually able to take every caller. It’s been a miracle to see our staff on the front lines doing the work they do with families to make space available, so no child sleeps outside,” says Alex.

One of their shelters has 200 beds, but volunteers have worked to make room for 224 people. Alex expects their numbers to continue to grow throughout the week. To accommodate, Mary’s Place shelters have turned their conference rooms and storage areas into extra sleeping spaces. Alex says making room can mean saving lives.

Dr. Katrina Rue agrees. She serves as president of the Washington State Medical Association and says she sees the impacts of cold weather exposure each year.

“I’ve seen patients who have lost little fingers or little toes, all the way up to above the knee amputations because of severe exposure to the cold weather,” says Rue. “It can be a life-threatening condition.”

She says the elements are incredibly difficult on children, whose bodies are even less equipped to retain heat.

“Kids have less reserves…they have smaller bodies,” explains Rue. “Kids are definitely not immune to the effects of hypothermia and are actually more at risk of severe weather and severe cold injury to their bodies.”

This is another reason why Alex and her team have made it their mission to seek out more families in need, despite the lack of shelter space.

“Getting the word out there that Mary’s place and other providers like us have a place for them to come inside to is so critical right now. To bring people inside,” says Alex.