Cold weather shelters open tonight | Public Spaces

Hillsborough County, FL -- Hillsborough County cold weather shelters will be open again tonight for the homeless and those who live in homes without adequate heat.

The shelters are:

• Bethune Park Rural Shelter (South County) 5809 Edina St. in Wimauma
  This shelter opens at 6 p.m. and is for adults and families.
  Phone: (813) 671-7618
• Brandon Community Center, 510 E. Sadie St. in Brandon
  This shelter opens at 5:30 p.m. and is for homeless individuals and families with children in the Brandon Area.
  Phone: (813) 635-8179
• Metropolitan Ministries, 2010 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa
  This shelter opens at 4 p.m. and is for families.
  After hours phone: (813) 209-1077
• Salvation Army, 1514 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa
  This shelter opens at 4 p.m. and is only for adults.
  After hours phone: (813) 221-4440

Most shelters will close tomorrow around 7 a.m.

Donations

The Bethune Park Rural Shelter and the Brandon Community Center are accepting donations of shelter supplies, such as disinfectant wipes, disposable cups, coffee, creamer, paper plates, plastic utensils, and sugar. Those wishing to donate supplies should contact each individual shelter.

Meals for the shelters are provided through Metropolitan Ministries. Those wishing to donate non-perishable items should contact Metropolitan Ministries at (813) 209-1000.

Hillsborough County coordinates with these organizations to help provide cold weather shelters when temperatures are predicted to reach 32 or below degrees, including wind chill. Last year, cold weather shelters opened 31 days, assisting more than 6,000 individuals.