BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) - The Jimmie Hale Mission's warming station has moved to a larger location due to the number of people seeking shelter from the cold. The new location allows the organization to shelter over 250 people.
“I would be under a bridge right now if they weren’t ever open,” said Kimberly Tubbs.
Two women seeking shelter at the warming station say it's more than just safety from the elements. It’s security from anything that can happen on the streets.
"It’s dangerous out here for us females to be out here, and I don’t want other females to be out here,” Tubbs said.
"Safety first above all. Resources," Carolyn Wallace said. "Get the help we all need and deserve.”
Tubbs and Wallace are experiencing homelessness. They say it can be hard to know who to turn to and fall back on when you need help and are living in the elements.
“I want the best for everybody. Like, I want everybody to stay warm and stay alive. Eat and be healthy," said Wallace. "Any help that you can get, you don’t have to be afraid of these resources. Reach out and ask. Ask questions. Be open to any opportunities, because this isn’t right.”
The Jimmie Hale Mission aims to be a safe place for all people during the cold, making sure there is a bed for anyone who needs it, and not turning anyone away.
"The only thing worse than being cold is being cold and wet," Jimmie Hale Mission executive director Perryn Carroll said. "It’s not a matter of comfort. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Safety for those staying in the warming shelter goes beyond shelter from the cold and security, but also illness prevention.
"We try to keep people spread. We use hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. We use Lysol spray to reduce airborne illnesses," Carroll said. "We’re working with Walgreens. They’ve agreed to come give flu vaccine shots to our guests for free, and so we help to stop the spread of anything that may be out there.”
The warming station will reopen Thursday night at 6 p.m. and be open around the clock until temperatures rise again on Sunday. The Jimmie Hale Mission is accepting lunch food donations at this time. Donations can be dropped off at either the men's center downtown (3420 2nd Ave N) or the current warming station (1569 Cooper Hill Rd). More information can be found at the Jimmie Hale Mission website HERE.