COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Below zero degrees, that's how cold it could get in North Idaho this weekend. The forecast made Jennifer Struckman jump into action to help those seeking shelter from the cold.
"This gives them hope to stay warm, and they're not going to freeze out there," Struckman said.
Struckman is a case manager for Saint Vincent De Paul of North Idaho. She's helped run the non-profit's warming center for two years.
"It's a huge part in what we do, because they know that we're here for them," Struckman said. "They have some support, whether they want it or not."
The shelter holds up to 60 people and can host both men and women.
"To see their face light up and how grateful they are means the world to me," Struckman said.
So far this winter, the shelter has opened for 24 nights and hosted more than 350 people. The non-profit's executive director says the shelter only opens when temperatures are below freezing.
"28 degrees is really what we can afford to be open," Saint Vincent's director Larry Riley said.
That's because the shelter costs $800 a night to run. Last year, the non-profit spent almost $ 100,000 on the warming shelter.
Riley said, "It's totally supported based on thrift store sales. And then we have nice donors."
With sub-zero temperatures later this week, the shelter is expected to get to capacity.
"We got to bring people in out of the cold," Riley said. "People die when it gets that cold. And so we do our best."
The shelter isn't just to help people stay warm. People staying the night will have access to housing, job services, or even a warm pair of socks.
"They hit hard times and just can't get back up on their feet," Struckman said. "And that's what we're here for: trying to help them do that."
Saint Vincent's says they provide a shuttle from their Coeur D'Alene facility to the Post Falls warming shelter. The non-profit does say that in smaller communities, they've seen churches open up as warming shelters.
When the shelter opens, it opens from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. The non-profit says that even if more than 60 people show up, they'll make room inside.
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