North Texas

Newly Approved Plano Warming Shelter Open on Season's Coldest Night

As temperatures Thursday night plummeted toward the season's record low, emergency warming shelters around North Texas opened their doors.

That included the Salvation Army in Plano which was just approved as a warming shelter by city council back in November.

The shelter is approved to hold 100 homeless overnight any time the temperature hits 32 degrees or below.

Robert Lloyd said he's used it a handful of times since it first opened. He said without it, it's nearly impossible to sleep on nights like this one.

"It's much better than being outside. Especially as windy as it is. I mean I could do… if it were raining it would be even worse but the wind's pretty bad," said Lloyd.

He was one of around 50 men and women using the facilities cots Thursday night. In a room down the hall, a kitchen churned out hot meals. Two portable showers were tested for the first time this season, and a closet full of donated coats and clothing was organized and ready to serve.

"This is the type of weather where people die. So we made a decision back when it was 105 degrees in the summer that no one would freeze to death on our watch if we could help it," said Plano's Corps Officer and Pastor Captain Richard New.

The program also runs two buses to help clients get to and from the shelter.

There are warming shelters available all around the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In Garland, volunteers are needed to staff locations listed online here.

ONLINE: glowsshelter.com

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