They’re providing warm places for people to stay.
Frederick, Md (KM) The deep freeze is expected to last for several days across the region. The National Weather Service in Sterling, Va.says temperatures are expected to reach highs in the 20’s, and plunge down into the teens at night, with the possibility of some light snow on Friday night and Saturday morning.
The social service agencies say they’re ready to assist the homeless population, providing them with a place to get inside from the cold weather. The Religious Coalition will open the Alan P. Linton Cold Weather Shelter at 27 DeGrange Street at 5:30 PM through January 7th. The facility provides beds for men and women on winter nights. But the Frederick Rescue Mission at 419 West South Street can provide some space if the Cold Weather Shelter fills up. “If they go to the cold weather shelter, they will be taken care of. If there’s an overflow, we at the Mission have a great, collaborative relationship with the Religious Coalition so we’ll find a space here for the overflow,” says Pastor Arnold Farlow, the Executive Director of the Rescue Mission. “So there’s no reason for anyone to be out in the cold because they don’t have a place to be.”
Farlow says the Rescue Mission provides a place to stay for anyone during the day who wants to come in from the cold. It’s open for breakfast from 8:00 AM until 12:00 noon; and then reopens at 1:30 PM for lunch and remains open until 4:30 PM. “We have about 25 to 30 folks in the dinning hall on a day like today,” he says.
The Frederick Community Action Agency at 100 South Market Street also provides a warm place for people who want shelter from the cold. Other places to get out of the cold include public libraries and senior centers.
Pastor Farlow says no one should spend time outside during bitter cold nights. “It’s my prayer and hope that no one is found frozen to death during this cold snap we’re in,” he says.
By Kevin McManus