The center hallway at the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries' Mack warning center in Detroit on Nov. 12, 2021. (Courtesy of Kimberly P. Todd/Detroit Free Press)

With a strong cold front and snow showers expected Wednesday and frigid temperatures already in the air, those in need of warmth can go to several warming shelters and respite locations across Detroit.

The City of Detroit is operating four warming centers with local nonprofit homeless service providers through March 31 to offer temporary relief when year-round shelters may be full. A fifth day center, run by the Pope Francis Center, also is available at Huntington Place (formerly the TCF Center).

Those seeking shelter services or warming center placement should call the Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) — the main entry point for people facing homelessness in the city to get shelter.

They can call CAM at 313-305-0311 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Outside of CAM hours, people can come in person to the following warming center locations through the end of March. The four facilities will operate daily during the winter months:

  • Cass Community Social Services (for families and single women): 1534 Webb St., Detroit, 48206; 313-883-2277
  • Cass Community Social Services (for single women): 11850 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit, 48206; 313-883-2277
  • Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (for families and single women): 11037 Mack Ave., Detroit, 48214; 313-993-6703
  • Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (for single men): 3535 Third Ave, Detroit,  48201; 313-993-6703

People can also go to the Pope Francis Center Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Huntington Place, located at 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit, 48226. The services — including two hot meals, showers, sleeping accommodations — are available to anyone who is homeless.

Five Detroit recreation centers — which will be open starting Monday — and seven Detroit Public Library branches are available as respite locations, with COVID-19 precautions including limited capacity and a two-hour limit per visit at library branches. For more information about those locations and hours, go to https://bit.ly/DetroitWarmingLocations.

For more information about the warming centers, call CAM or the Detroit Health Department at 313-876-4000.

Nushrat Rahman covers issues related to economic mobility for the Detroit Free Press and BridgeDetroit as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project.

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