GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay is reminding the public that their doors are open for anyone to escape from the dangerously cold temperatures.
A wind chill warning is in place for most of the area through noon on Thursday and officials say it can be dangerous to be outside for even a short amount of time.
Nan Pahl, Director of Social Services at the Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay, says their warming center is open Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
The center becomes available anytime during the winter when the actual temperature or wind chill is below zero degrees.
“We want to make it available even though it may only be used by one person, two people, or ten people,” she explains. “Just to be a safe place.”
The center is located at 626 Union Court inside the chapel at the Greater Green Bay Salvation Army.
The popularity of the warming center typically varies.
“Somedays we’re open and we’re available and people don’t come and use it,” says Pahl.
On Tuesday morning the center had plenty of available unused space, but that could quickly fill up in the next day or two as temperatures are expected to drop to the lowest registered mark in years.
The organization encourages anyone with an unreliable housing situation to utilize their service this week, whether they have before in the past or not.
In addition to warming their bodies, the Salvation Army is also looking to provide warm food to those that venture inside.
The daily noon lunch program at the Salvation Army runs Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is available to the general public.
“So anyone who does come to use the warming center can also get lunch while they’re here,” she says.
The Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay says their lunch program serves around 33,000 hot meals per year to anyone in need.
And anyone coming in might also leave with some new winter items to help stay warm.
“We just got a beautiful donation of hats and scarves,” explains Pahl. “So if people do need to come and use the warming center we’ve also got some blankets, some hats, some scarves.”
And for those involved with the shelter, it doesn’t matter to them if just one person or two dozen take advantage of their services, they just don’t want to see anyone putting themselves in danger by bracing the elements.
“Our thought is that even if one person comes, we’re getting that person out of those cold elements, getting them safe, getting them some food,” says Pahl.
