Resources for central Ohioans to warm up as temperatures drop

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Central Ohioans are bracing for extremely cold temperatures over the next few days. Many people have safe, warm places to stay, but there are some with nowhere to go.

Not having shelter is difficult for people no matter the time of year, but there are extra challenges when temperatures reach dangerous lows.

There are resources in central Ohio, including the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s 23 locations. Any day the library is open, people are welcome from morning until night.

“This is truly a place for everyone in our communities regardless of wealth, regardless of income, regardless if you buy anything. We’re here to serve the communities no matter what they look like,” said the library’s spokesperson Ben Zenitsky.

Another resource is the Community Shelter Board, which connects locals with warming centers and shelters with open beds.

“At a time like this where the temperatures are dropping dangerously low we add hundreds more beds to that system to make sure that no one is turned away from shelter,” said Sara Loken with the Community Shelter Board.

Both organizations can give people options for social services that help to find a more long-term solution. They just want to make sure every person is safe.

“Etched above our main library are the words ‘open to all’ and that is of course our guiding principle throughout all 23 of our locations. We are open to all. We’re one of the few organizations in town that encourages loitering,” said Zenitsky.

Keep in mind that the library is closed Sunday and Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Loken with the Community Shelter Board said there will be options for people on those days even if most warming centers are closed.

“During these dangerous cold conditions where it really is truly a matter of life and death, no one will be turned away,” Loken said. “Anyone who doesn’t have a safe place to warm up on Monday should definitely call the homeless hotline and get connected to some warm spaces that will open their doors.”

Anyone who needs shelter can contact the Homeless Hotline at 614-274-7000. They operate 24/7 and connect central Ohioans with resources.