ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida residents will need to bundle up this week as a strong cold front causes temperatures to drop like a bejeweled ball on New Year’s Eve.
County governments and homeless shelters are preparing to open facilities to help residents escape the cold.
A cold weather shelter will open in Flagler County starting Monday night at the Rock Transformation Center in Bunnell. Factoring in wind chill, temperatures will hover around the 30-degree mark in Flagler County Monday night, according to News 6 chief meteorologist Candace Campos.
[WATCH: Cold blast to send Florida wind chills below freezing on New Year’s Eve]
Then on Tuesday, residents who need to escape the cold can go to facilities opening in Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties. Those facilities will stay open through Thursday, Jan. 1.
Inside their Cocoa location on Monday, volunteers with Matthew’s Hope were preparing to host dozens who may need to escape the cold this week.
“Our transportation buses will be out and about picking people up to bring them in,” said CEO Scott Billue, who spoke to News 6 inside the organization’s outreach center Monday.
The outreach center can hold upwards of about 120 people, Billue said, noting that the space will also be used for intake and for meals.
The shelter will open at 4 p.m. Tuesday and remain open until Friday morning. Billue, who experienced homelessness in the past, said volunteers drove around the area Monday to let people know they had options.
“Thirty-five percent of the folks we’re seeing right now are first-time baby boomers that have never been homeless before,” Billue said, urging people to take advantage of their offer. “And I can assure you, they’re not ready for this.”
Temperatures on New Year’s Eve will fall even further, and in some parts of the area, “feels-like” temperatures may fall into the upper 20s.
Daytime highs will be in the 60s for much of the week before beginning to warm back up on Friday.
County-by-county information on cold weather shelters is listed below. News 6 will update this story as more cold-weather shelters are announced.
Brevard County
COCOA
- Where: Matthew’s Hope, 825 Forrest Ave., Cocoa
- When: Starting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 30
- Website: MatthewsHopeMinistries.org
MELBOURNE
- Where: Melbourne First Church of the Nazarene, 2745 Babcock St., Melbourne
- When: Dec. 30 -Jan. 2, starting at 5:30 p.m. each night
- Website: www.providenceconnects.org/
According to Brevard Homeless Coalition, volunteers and donations are needed at both sites. Visit the websites above to see how you can help.
Flagler County
- Where: Rock Transformation Center, 2200 N. State Street, Bunnell
- When: Starting at 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 29, through the morning of Friday, Jan. 2
- Getting there: Free transportation available at the following times and locations:
East side of the county
- Dollar General at Publix Town Center on Market Avenue (leads to Dollar General), 3:30 p.m.
- McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100 at the dirt road on the east side, 4 p.m.
- Dollar Tree behind Carrabba’s in the Dollar Tree Parking lot, 4:30 p.m.
- Palm Coast Main Branch Library, northwest corner of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway, 4:45 p.m.
West side of the county
- Dollar General at County Road 305 and Canal Avenue in Daytona North, 4 p.m.
- Bunnell Free Clinic, 703 Moody Boulevard, 4:30 p.m.
- Bridges United Methodist Church in Bunnell, 205 N. Pine Street, 4:30 p.m. (listed as the same pick-up time because of the close proximity)
Lake County
- Where: LifePointe Church, 3551 E. Orange Ave., Eustis
- When: Starting Tuesday, Dec. 30, through Thursday, Jan. 1
- Updates: Text “COLD” to 888-777 | Lake County Emergency Management
Orange County
Orange County government will open two pet-friendly warming centers on Tuesday and Wednesday, starting at 5 p.m. Cats need to be in carriers and dogs need to be on a leash.
Where:
- Barnett Park Gymnasium, 4801 W Colonial Dr, Orlando
- Goldenrod Recreation Center, 4863 N Goldenrod Rd, Winter Park
Three homeless shelters will also extend capacity on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to allow more people a place to stay.
- Coalition for the Homeless, 18 N Terry Ave, Orlando
- Salvation Army Women’s and Children’s Shelter, 400 W Colonial Dr, Orlando
- Salvation Army Men’s Shelter, 624 Lexington Ave, Orlando
- Orlando Union Rescue Mission, 3300 West Colonial Drive, Orlando
Anyone needing transportation to one of these places can ride for free on LYNX buses. Just let the driver know you need shelter.
Finally, Matthew’s Hope Ministries is opening a cold-weather shelter at their Winter Garden location on Tuesday, starting at 4 p.m.
- Where: Matthew’s Hope, 611 Business Park Blvd., Winter Garden
Matthew’s Hope is not a shelter normally. They are looking for donations.
Osceola County
Three shelters are opening in Osceola County on Tuesday and Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the following locations.
- First United Methodist Church St. Cloud, 1000 Ohio Avenue, St. Cloud
- Iglesia Del Nazareno Casa De Vida, 2367 Fortune Road, Kissimmee
- Poinciana Christian Church, 3181 Pleasant Hill Road, Kissimmee
Pets can be taken to Osceola County Animal Services for boarding. Animals will need to be in a carrier, unless they are a service dog.
Anyone needing transportation to one of these places can ride for free on LYNX buses. Just let the driver know you need shelter.
Sign up for alerts to your phone by texting “COLDWEATHER” to 888-777.
Seminole County
- Where: Rescue Outreach Mission, 1701 Historic Goldsboro Blvd, Sanford
- When: Tuesday and Wednesday nights
- Contact: www.romcfl.org
Sumter County
Sumter County government officials tell News 6 that they are not planning to open a cold-weather shelter this week.
Volusia County
DELAND
- Where: The Bridge, 421 S. Palmetto Ave., DeLand
- When: Tuesday, Dec. 30 and Wednesday, Dec. 31, starting at 6:30 p.m.
- Contact: The Neighborhood Center, 386-734-8120, ext. 601.
In addition, on the east side of the county, Halifax Urban Ministries is working with a number of local churches and nonprofits to provide cold-weather shelters on Tuesday, Dec. 30, and Wednesday, Dec. 31.
The county urges people needing shelter or transportation to call HUM at 386-317-5886 as soon as possible.