Utah County's Warming Center is open in Provo and looking for volunteers and donated supplies to serve adults experiencing homelessness through March 15.
The center, at the Utah County Public Works warehouse at 2615 S. State St. in Provo, runs from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every night. It serves adults 18 and older, as individuals or couples. Families with children and people with disabilities are not served at the center but can get other county assistance, including hotel or motel vouchers, according to KSL reporting cited by provo.com.
Utah County took over the center after Community Action Services and Food Bank, the nonprofit that previously ran it, announced a temporary closure just before the season began. County Commissioner Skyler Beltran told KSL that "the recent closure forced the county to step in." The center opened on schedule Nov. 1.
Last winter the center averaged about 59 people a night, according to Beltran.
How to help
The county posted three ways residents across Utah County can pitch in:
- Volunteer overnight. The county needs people to cover three overnight shifts. Volunteers commit to one shift, KSL reported.
- Donate a sleeping mat through the county's online registry.
- Donate snacks and supplies through an Amazon registry. Beltran told KUTV the county is fundraising on Amazon to offset its costs, provo.com reported.
Links for volunteering and donating are available through the county's social media posts. The county plans to move administration to another provider, KSL reported, though provo.com noted it had not found the name of that provider in any report as of Nov. 6.
Upcoming community dates
- Nov. 12 — Utah Valley summit on I-15, housing and water
- Nov. 22–28 — Lehi Family Week activities
