For those in need of winter clothes or a place to stay warm, just figuring out what resources are available can be a headache. Here’s a quick guide to finding cold-weather resources around Jackson County.
Terms to Know
Warming centers are available to the general public during the location’s business hours. Anyone can visit, warm up, and use the facilities as needed, but overnight hours are typically not provided.
Shelters offer a warm place to stay overnight; in Kansas City, some are only activated during extreme weather conditions. Space is limited, so check availability before you go.
Resources
- The United Way of Greater Kansas City maintains a directory of seasonal resources all across the county, including warming centers, extreme weather shelters, and free winter coats / clothes. You can also find homeless shelters that serve the community all year round. Call 211 for help finding resources in your area.
- Throughout the winter, Kansas City offers a variety of services that activate when the daytime high is below 32 degrees or the overnight low is less than 20 degrees.
- KCMO Emergency Operations Center opens a hotline for shelter bed availability and RideKC offers free bus rides to shelters as well as heated buses on certain routes that can act as mobile warming centers. (Check the RideKC Twitter or Facebook to see where services are being offered!) The city also has a dashboard showing current shelter availability.
- You can learn more information about Kansas City’s Extreme Weather Plan and view a list of Kansas City shelters here.
- Need transportation to a shelter or warming center located outside of RideKC? OATS Transit offers low-cost rides in Blue Springs, Grain Valley, and Lee’s Summit to those eligible. Call them a day in advance at 816-380-7433 or 1-800-480-6287.
If you know someone who could benefit from these resources, please pass this information on! Everyone deserves to be safe and warm through the winter storms.
KCMO's Printable Street Resources Card
