Cross Roads House announced today that it will be offering an emergency overnight warming center at it’s facility at 600 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth for homeless individuals this winter. Serving as the warming center for Rockingham County, this overnight service will be made available based on specific weather conditions, with openings announced on the CRH website and via a network of community partners in the Seacoast area.
“The Bureau of Housing and DHHS reached out to us to provide this service in Rockingham County as no other facility was offering to do so this year,” explains Will Arvelo, executive director at CRH. “It is part of a statewide initiative to provide winter sheltering across all 10 counties that is being underwritten by $1 million in funding from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act).” With the lack of permanent facilities offering this kind of shelter to unhoused individuals this year, Cross Roads House felt it was imperative to expand its operation to include this service.
“Our team is fully prepared to offer this vital service to unhoused individuals in the county this winter,” says Melissa Leeman, shelter manager at Cross Roads House. “With limited access to warming centers across the area, we felt it was important to open our facility in this way to help keep people safe.”
The emergency overnight warming center will open only under specific weather conditions
Forecasted ambient air temperature or windchill (“feels like”) temperature of 28 degrees Fahrenheit or below from 7:00 pm to 8:00 am.
AND/OR
- Heavy snowfall (accumulation of 6 or more inches)s
- Heavy rainfall (accumulation of 1 or more inches)
- Ice or sleet accumulation of ½” or more
The hours of operation will be from 7:00 pm to 8:00 am for each day the weather forecast meets these criteria. Individuals can come to the center for intake at that time and will be provided with a warm meal and a cot for the night. In the morning, before leaving the facility by 8:00 am, they will have access to a CRH case manager who can help direct them to local area services that are available for them for the day. If the forecast continues to meet the stated criteria, the center will open again for intake at 7:00 pm.