ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Cold weather shelters across Central Florida will be open this weekend as record cold and dangerous wind chills hit the area.
Many shelters opened this week as we saw near-freezing temps and will close Friday as temps near 70. The shelters will then reopen Saturday as a front sweeps through the area and brings record cold temperatures.
This story will updated with more openings as we receive information.
Brevard County
Based on the current forecast from US National Weather Service Melbourne Florida Sunday, Feb. 1, our community partners will be opening cold weather shelters.
Shelter information:
- LifePointe Ministries, Inc. – 4220 South Hopkins Ave., Titusville. Opens at 5:30 p.m., serving dinner and breakfast
- Sharing Center of Central Brevard – 113 Aurora St., Cocoa. Opens at 6 p.m., serving dinner and breakfast
- Matthew’s Hope, Brevard County – 825 Forrest Ave., Cocoa. Opens at 4 p.m., serving dinner and breakfast
- Providence Connects at Melbourne First Church of the Nazarene – 2745 S. Babcock St., Melbourne. Opens at 5:30 p.m., serving dinner and breakfast
Flagler County
The Sheltering Tree in Flagler County will open Thursday, Jan. 29, before closing Friday. Then, it will reopen for Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights. The shelter is operating out of the Rock Transformation Center, located at 2200 N. State St. The shelter will open each evening at 5 p.m. and close at 8 a.m. the following day.
The county will provide bus transportation. Here’s the schedule:
- McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100 at the dirt road on the east side, 4 p.m.
- Circle K at Kingswood and Old Kings Road, 4:40 p.m.
- Dollar Tree behind Carrabba’s in the Dollar Tree Parking lot, 4:50 p.m.
- Palm Coast Main Branch Library, northwest corner of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway, 4:55 p.m.
- Bunnell Free Clinic, 703 Moody Boulevard, 5 p.m.
- Bridges United Methodist Church in Bunnell, 205 N. Pine Street, 5 p.m. (listed as the same pick-up time because of the close proximity)
Lake County
Lake County will open the following shelters:
Salvation Army, 2605 South St., Leesburg
- Saturday, Jan. 31 (opens at 5 p.m. Saturday; closes at 7 a.m. Sunday)
- Sunday, Feb. 1 (opens at 5 p.m. Sunday; closes at 7 a.m. Monday)
Hope International Church, 13806 FL-33, Groveland
- Saturday, Jan. 31 (opens at 5 p.m. Saturday; closes at 7 a.m. Sunday)
- Sunday, Feb. 1 (opens at 5 p.m. Sunday; closes at 7 a.m. Monday)
Lake County Agriculture Center, 1951 Woodlea Rd., Tavares
- Monday, Feb. 2 (opens at 5 p.m.; closes at 7 a.m. Tuesday)
“Please note that Lake County will not operate a shelter on the evening of Friday, Jan. 30, as weather conditions are not expected to meet activation thresholds,” a news release states. “Additionally, Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management will operate a daytime warming center with the Salvation Army at 2605 South St., Leesburg, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, and Sunday, Feb. 1.”
Free transportation to the shelters is available through Lake County Transit Services. Residents who can’t get to a shuttle stop and who need transportation Saturday and/or Sunday must call Lake County Connection at (352) 742-2612 before 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30.
Residents can receive cold-weather resource updates by texting COLD to 888-777.
The county said it will monitor conditions and provide more updates.
Orange County
Temporary cold-weather warming centers will be available overnight at the gymnasiums of Barnett Park and Goldenrod Recreation on the following dates:
- Saturday, January 31, 2026, open from 5 p.m. continuously until Monday, February 2, 2026, at 10 a.m.
- Monday, February 2, 2026 | Open from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.
LYNX buses will offer free transportation to those seeking a warming center.
For residents in rural east Orange County, Bithlo Community Park will serve as a transportation hub, providing free bus service to the Goldenrod Recreation Center. LYNX bus pickups will occur on the following dates:
Pickups occur on the following dates:
- Saturday, January 31, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, February 1, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Monday, February 2, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Other Homeless Services Network partner locations providing homeless services:
- Coalition for the Homeless, 18 North Terry Ave., Orlando, 32801 — extra sleeping area open Saturday and Sunday nights
- Orlando Union Rescue Mission (men only), 3300 West Colonial Dr., Orlando, 32805 — extra sleeping area open Saturday and Sunday nights
- The Salvation Army Orlando (men only), 624 Lexington Ave., Orlando, 32801 — extra sleeping area open Saturday and Sunday nights
- The Salvation Army Orlando (women and children only), 400 West Colonial Dr., Orlando, 32804 — extra sleeping area open Saturday and Sunday nights
- Matthew’s Hope, 611 Business Park Blvd., Winter Garden, 34787 — open Saturday and Sunday nights
- First Methodist Church Apopka — 201 S. Park Ave., Apopka, 32703 — open 6:30 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday and again from 6:30 p.m. Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday.
- Transformation Village (men and women) temporary shelter at former Amazing Grace Church, 17502 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 32820 — open Friday night through Monday night. Note: A nightly 5 p.m. shuttle will be provided from Transformation Village, 18401 11th Ave., Orlando, 32833, to the church. Meet at the Red House.
Osceola County
Churches in Osceola County are opening Saturday, Jan. 31, through Monday, Feb. 2, as cold weather shelters starting at 6 p.m. for those in need:
Saturday, Jan. 31:
- Kissimmee First Church of the Nazarene (1550 Mill Slough Road, Kissimmee)
- First United Methodist Church St. Cloud (1000 Ohio Avenue, St. Cloud)
Sunday, Feb. 1, and Monday, Feb. 2:
- Kissimmee First Church of the Nazarene (1550 Mill Slough Road, Kissimmee)
- Poinciana Christian Church (3181 Pleasant Hill Road, Kissimmee)
- First United Methodist Church St. Cloud (1000 Ohio Avenue, St. Cloud)
LYNX buses will provide free transportation to a cold weather shelter. Riders will need to alert the driver they will be going to the shelter.
In Osceola, only service animals may be brought to the church shelters, where Animal Services will provide crates for sleeping. Pets should be dropped off with Osceola County Animal Services at 3910 Old Canoe Creek Rd., Saint Cloud, 34769 (407-742-8000) for temporary care during the weather emergency.
Seminole County
Homeless Services Network partner locations providing homeless services:
- Rescue Outreach Mission, 1701 Historic Goldsboro Blvd, Sanford, 32771. Once the mission reaches capacity, people seeking refuge from the cold will be taken to a local church for overnight shelter.
- During daytime hours only, all Seminole County Library branches will be open to offer a place to get out of the cold. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Locations include:
- Jean Rhein Central Branch, 215 N. Oxford Rd., Casselberry
- East Branch, 310 N. Division St., Oviedo
- North Branch, 150 N. Palmetto Ave., Sanford
- Northwest Branch, 580 Green Way Blvd., Lake Mary
- West Branch, 245 N. Hunt Club Blvd., Longwood
- The Sharing Center’s Oasis, 600 N. U.S. Highway 17-92 in Longwood, will be open for daytime refuge Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon.
Unfortunately, churches in Apopka and Seminole counties are not able to accommodate pets, nor are the homeless emergency shelters.
Volusia County
The Bridge at The Neighborhood Center, located at 421 S. Palmetto Ave. in DeLand, will open each evening through Sunday, Feb. 1.
Guests may arrive beginning at 6:30 p.m. and may remain until approximately 8 a.m. the following morning, with breakfast provided before closing.
For more information about services at The Bridge, call the Neighborhood Center at 386-734-8120, ext. 601.
On the county’s east side, Halifax Urban Ministries will help coordinate cold weather shelters with local churches.
“While HUM does not operate its own cold-weather shelter, it works with community partners to help connect individuals with safe, warm overnight accommodations. Those in need of shelter or transportation assistance are encouraged to contact HUM at 386-317-5886 as early as possible. When available, transportation may be arranged through VoTran in coordination with community partners.”