City of Portland staff has been working diligently with community partners this week to locate, prepare, and staff a temporary overnight warming shelter due to the extreme cold temperatures expected on Friday and Saturday nights. The City, along with community partners and volunteers, will staff this temporary shelter space at the Salvation Army’s gymnasium at 297 Cumberland Avenue. The overnight warming shelter will be available Friday (February 3) at 3:00 PM to 8:00 AM on Saturday (February 4); and Saturday (February 4) at 3:00 PM to Sunday (February 5) at 8:00 AM. 

In Portland, daytime warming shelter spaces will be available at the Portland Public Library Downtown branch at 5 Monument Square from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays and 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturday as well as at the First Parish Church at 425 Congress Street, which will be open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Friday, February 3 and Saturday, February 4. 

Despite significant challenges in terms of staffing and resources, City staff were able to piece this solution together with special thanks to the Salvation Army, many City staff members who will be staffing and preparing the shelter, and a coalition of community partners and volunteers that will operate day space at the First Parish Church. 

“While our shelters remain at capacity, we recognize the urgent need for those who are without shelter in these extreme temperatures,” said Interim City Manager Danielle West. “We are thankful for City staff from across several departments who have answered our call as well as the assistance of our community partners and  volunteers to ensure that this life saving measure is taken during this weather emergency.”

The City will also provide its regular day shelter space for clients at the Oxford Street Shelter and Family Shelter. 

To find a list of additional warming shelters, the public should visit the Cumberland County EMA site or call 211.