KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As snow builds up across the Kansas City area, many people have the luxury of enjoying the wintry weather from the warmth of their homes.
For the individuals who don't have that option, warming centers have opened their doors to the community to help save lives.
The executive director of Hope Faith Homeless Assistance Campus, Doug Langner, said the shelter, which is located at 705 Virginia Ave. in Kansas City, Missouri, housed 156 people overnight on Monday and into Tuesday.
"Days like this where it's snowing, you visibly see why what we're doing is so necessary," Langner said.
Langner said providing access to warming shelters is a matter of life or death. Hope Faith found cases of frostbite among some individuals seeking warmth overnight. The shelter works with local EMS to provide medical care to people in need and has now shifted from overnight services to daytime services to continue serving the community into Tuesday.
Langner said the shelter's goal isn't only to provide relief, but to make a long-term difference in the lives of those who need its service.
There are plenty of other warming shelters also working to make a difference in the KC area.
KSHB 41 News compiled a list of warming centers below, to help you find the nearest shelter:
KANSAS
Johnson County
- Johnson County Library locations
- Salvation Army (420 East Santa Fe Street, Olathe, Kansas 66061)
- Project 10/20 (9400 Pflumm Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215)
- RideKC warming bus
Wyandotte County
- Armourdale Community Center (730 Osage Ave., Kansas City, Kansas 66105)
- Bethany Community Center (1120 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas)
- Bonner Springs Community Center (200 E 3rd St., Bonner Springs, Kansas 66012)
- Joe E Amayo Argentine Community Center (2810 Metropolitan Ave., Kansas City, Kansas 66106)
- Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library locations
Leavenworth County
- Leavenworth Interfaith Community of Hope (311 Kiowa St., Leavenworth, Kansas 66048)
MISSOURI
Clay County
- Liberty Community Center (1600 S Withers Road, Liberty, Missouri 64068)
- Mid-Continental Public Library locations
- North Kansas City YMCA (1999 Iron St., North Kansas City, Missouri 64116)
Jackson County
- City Union Mission (1100 East 11th St., Kansas City, Missouri 64106)
- Hope Faith (705 Virginia Ave., Kansas City, Missouri 64106)
- Legacy Park Community Center (901 NE Bluestem Drive, Lee's Summit, Missouri 64086)
- Shelter KC(1520 Cherry St., Kansas City, Missouri 64108)
- Roger T. Sermon Community Center (210 N. Dodgion Ave., Independence, Missouri 64050)
- Additional Jackson County locations can be viewed HERE
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