New Warming Station Opens At Salvation Army
It’s going to be a cold night across Alabama with a freeze warning blanketing the state. And Montgomery’s Salvation Army is trying to house as many people as it can fit to stay warm. While many of you are at home warm and cozy, for others the Salvation Army is the place they will call home — that is, at least until the cold snap ends. “It hurts… where if you don’t have the right gloves on if you don’t have something to cover up, you’re going to feel pain,” Said Johnny Spredlin, who’s been at the shelter for two months. With temperatures dropping, being outside isn’t where he wants to be. “What it was: they called it a box truck — they go pick up bread and stuff like that and you sleep in one of those, no heater, nothing like that. You just have to find what you can to bundle up,” Said Spredlin. For now, he’s staying here at the Salvation Army. It’s the only emergency shelter open in the River Region. And as it gets colder, leaders here say they expect at least five to eight new people to come in every night. The only problem is the shelter is already over capacity. “When it’s cold, we have mats and stuff that we can put down and we can go up to about 150,” Said Major Walter Strong with the Salvation Army. The shelter fits about 75 people comfortably. But with winter-type weather coming about two weeks early, the Salvation Army finds itself in a bind. “Normally we been have our coat drive or blanket drive to be ready,” Said Jason Davis with the Salvation Army. “Well, we’re catching up. Playing catch up.” It’s why the shelter needs warm clothes now. Not just that, but items for its new warming station, which opened Wednesday morning for the first time ever. That includes a meal, snacks and coffee. “I mean, for now… this is home because it’s a warm place. It’s not being stuck on the street,” Said Spredlin. The warming station is open 8 a.m. to 4 pm as long as it’s below 50 degrees. Anybody can come, even if you don’t need to stay at the shelter.
