The Sheltering Tree will open its cold weather shelter Thursday and Friday this week as overnight temperatures are expected to fall below 40 degrees.
The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures will drop below 40 degrees during the overnight hours at the end of the work week, meeting the criteria for opening the cold weather shelter. The shelter, operated at the Rock Transformation Center at 2200 North State Street, is available not only for those experiencing homelessness but for anyone who is without heat.
The shelter will open at 5 p.m. each evening and close at 8 a.m. the following morning.
Flagler County will provide bus transportation along two routes to bring residents to the shelter. On the east side of the county, the bus will stop at the Dollar General at Publix Town Center on Market Avenue at 3:30 p.m., followed by McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100 at 4 p.m., then Dollar Tree behind Carrabba’s at 4:30 p.m., and finally the Palm Coast Main Branch Library at the northwest corner of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway at 4:45 p.m.
On the west side of the county, the bus will stop at Dollar General at County Road 305 and Canal Avenue in Daytona North at 4 p.m., then at the Bunnell Free Clinic at 703 Moody Boulevard at 4:30 p.m., and at Bridges United Methodist Church at 205 North Pine Street in Bunnell at 4:30 p.m. The Bunnell Free Clinic and Bridges United Methodist Church share the same pickup time due to their close proximity.
The Sheltering Tree operates under the umbrella of the Flagler County Family Assistance Center. It is a non-denominational civic organization created to provide cold weather sheltering during cold nights in Flagler County. The organization can be reached at 386-437-3258.
Flagler County Fire Rescue has issued safety tips for residents trying to stay warm during cold weather. Officials advise never using an oven to heat a home. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Fireplaces should be screened to contain sparks. Portable space heaters should be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn and should be turned off when leaving the room or going to bed.
