Share the Warmth offers cots and clean clothes to the homeless. Courtesy | Penny Myers

When temperatures dipped to minus 9 degrees last week, Share the Warmth of Hillsdale County stayed open to the homeless day and night.

“We are usually a night only emergency warming center,” Executive Director Penny Myers said. “But because of this really cold weather, we decided that we should stay open as a 24-hour facility until the weather warms up.” 

The warming center is in its seventh year of supporting the homeless. The shelter lengthened its hours Jan. 19-22. 

“The community has really willingly stepped up and asked how they can help,” Myers said. 

The volunteers take shifts and help with laundry, food service, facility oversight, and any other tasks that need to be done, according to Myers.

Former Mayor Adam Stockford said he used to volunteer at the shelter and has supported its work since.  Stockford said he likes to see the community supporting the shelter.

“Things like these have to be a constant to work, they can’t just be open off and on,” Stockford said. “Penny has been able to build a center that is sustained by volunteers and that is a hard thing to do in our city.”

The shelter is located at Sozo Church on 7 S. Manning St. Lead pastor at the church, Rev. Ed Spreeman, said he wants the building to be community focused and has been happy to house the center.

“Our philosophy is that this building is a community building that the church uses, and not the other way around,” Spreeman said. “It was a no-brainer to open it then to the homeless and we consider it an issue of hospitality and love.”

Myers encouraged anyone interested in the shelter to volunteer and take a shift. 

“We would love to see more people get involved and we could use the help,” Myers said. “This is a project God has wanted us to do and we want to do it with excellence.” 

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