Central Florida has experienced some chilly days in the past week, and it's likely continue for a few more days.
- Cold weather has arrived in Central Florida
- Hundreds flock to Brevard cold weather shelter
- Shelter in need of donations, blankets, etc.
One cold weather shelter in Brevard County has already seen hundreds of people come through its doors.
Jameson Clark, a volunteer at His Place Ministries for nearly a decade, knows the importance of the shelter. He once had to use it himself.
“This ministry had a lot to do with my well-being, making sure I stayed warm on nights like tonight,” Clark said. “Things have gotten better for me so it’s only right to give back.”
With temperatures dipping into the 30s the past few nights, the shelter opened its doors, averaging around 75 people each night.
“There are a lot of homeless people in this part of the county, in fact we are the only cold night shelter in South Brevard so we can get a lot of people,” said Terry Morris, Pastor of His Place Ministries.
It's also one of the largest shelters in the county and equipped to take in more than 100 people.
The shelter says it'll likely stay open for another two nights if the forecast stays the same.
It's also looking for volunteers. Typically, it takes 25 volunteers to run the shelter each night.
Officials say they are desperately in need of donations, specifically blankets.
Usually, the shelter likes to have 1,000 blankets on hand, but right now the ministry says its down to 500.
"If it wasn’t for this place a lot of people would be freezing, some would be freezing to death," Clark said. "So a place like this is really important."
If you’d like to donate, you can stop by His Place Ministries off of U.S. 1 in Melbourne.
The shelter says each winter it will open between 35 and 40 times.