Warming center changes policy

From now on, it won’t be quite so cold outside when St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho opens the doors to its warming center.

“After conversations with local officials, we will raise our temperature to 28 degrees effective immediately,” said St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho Executive Director Jeff Conroy, in an announcement made Friday.

The nonprofit’s policy for the past seven years has been to operate the warming center when the temperature dips below 25 degrees.

"In making this decision, it was painful because we feel that anything below 32 is too cold and we are in the people business,” Conroy said.

Raising the temperature threshold will add an average 36 more nights to the warming center season, based on 2014 temperatures. The decision to open or not will be based on daily temperatures.

The Post Falls Shelter, located at 202 W. Seventh St. in Post Falls behind the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in the Kamps Apartments basement, will be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on nights when the temperature drops below 28. Transportation will depart from the St. Vincent Community Dining Hall, 1321 N. First St. in Coeur d'Alene, at 6:30 on the nights the warming center is open and will provide a return trip the next morning.

The shelter can take 45 individuals and will have sleeping bags, blankets and warm clothing as well as full bathrooms, warm food and drinks. The Coeur d'Alene site will serve as overflow.

"We’ve been asked, 'Why don’t you just have volunteers run it?'" Conroy said in the release. "Because working 12-hour shifts from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. is very stressful on anyone — we operate our center with staff and have volunteers supporting to ensure enough coverage during long stretches of cold. We are always looking for donations of food and clothing."

Conroy said St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho is self-funded and does not receive any assistance from government agencies. The organization holds events throughout the year to help fund the center.

"These funds pay for staff, washing sleeping bags, buying sleeping bags, tents, food, heat, water and anything else needed to support the center that is not covered by donations," he said.

No matter what, the St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho Warming Center will be open on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

To help with or donate to the St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho Warming Center, contact warming center coordinator Ben Kiesbuy at 771-5396.