Four months ago, the doors for warmth and opportunities opened for so many in need in our community.

Mayor Lester Miller came up with the idea of providing a shelter for people who needed a warm place to sleep during cold winter nights after two men experiencing homeless died while sleeping outside in December 2020. On January 6, 2021, that idea turned into a reality when the doors of the former Brookdale Elementary School opened and it became the Brookdale Warming Center.

Since then, the Center has served more than 500 guests, providing  more than just a place to sleep. The Center is the first step to getting people back on their feet. With help from the community and the Center, about 40 people have found permanent homes and 16 were able to afford bus tickets back to their families across the United States. The Center has also helped people get jobs, ID’s, social security Cards, benefits, and birth certificates.

“I credit our county government for letting us build this from scratch, the way that we think will work well,” said Brookdale Warming Center Director Steve Bell. “We also need to thank our community partners. There’s nothing we do on our own without our partners, whether it’s services, donations, connections, or volunteering. ”

The Warming Center is always in need of donations and volunteers. If you’d like to volunteer, click here.