WINTER WARMING STATION
As winter approaches, numerous people in Cherokee County face harsh conditions without a safe, warm place to stay.
The Homeless Coalition of Cherokee County in partnership with local churches will activate a temporary warming station whenever the temperature falls and remains below 25 degrees overnight this winter.
Warming station, serving all of Cherokee County, will be held at one of our local church partners in the Woodstock area. Each church location is given “on-call dates” to open when determined needed.
Notification of openings will be posted 24-48 hours in advance.
Warming station provides sleeping areas, restrooms, and food for men, women and children in need during the overnight hours of 6pm-8am.
Pets are not permitted in the warming station but are welcomed to be cared for by a volunteer-staffed pet warming tent set up outside the warming station entrance.
Transportation - Contact 770-406-6161 for shuttle times and locations. Canton and Woodstock Police are also willing to transport those in need. Guests may park at the warming station.
To find the warming station location
when temperatures drop below 25 degrees, please visit our Facebook page for the latest updates.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Tell Others:
Share about the warming station. Invite those who are in need to come in out of the cold. Invite those who are able to donate to support this effort.
Pray:
Prayer is powerful and effective! Pray for all those facing extenuating circumstances, and for our collective desire and ability to help.
Donate:
Choose an item from the Warming Station Wishlist on Amazon.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I donate other items?
Right now, we are asking that donations be limited to the listed items so we can maintain consistency and meet specific needs. If you want to make a financial donation to support not only relief efforts, but recovery and restoration ministries of the Homeless Coalition click here.
Can I volunteer?
At this time, only pre-approved volunteers with background checks are able to serve onsite due to the vulnerability of the population we serve. However, anyone interested in becoming more involved in homelessness support efforts going forward can reach out via email, and we’ll follow up.
Can local restaurants or food partners get involved?
Yes—absolutely. We are actively coordinating meal partnerships for both dinner and breakfast. If anyone has a connection or interest, we’d love to connect.
One of the most meaningful parts of this initiative is how many churches of different denominations and nonprofits across the county have joined together to meet a shared need. It’s a strong reflection of who Cherokee County is—we show up for each other.
SMALL BEGINNINGS…GROWING IMPACT
In December of 2022, the weather forecast showed a three-day period in which the temperatures would not rise above 19 degrees. The Way | Woodstock Church, one of the Homeless Coalition’s partner churches, opened its campus as a warming station and invited other local churches to join them in serving those without adequate heat. Recognizing the need for greater capacity, First Baptist of Woodstock offered to open its campus the following two winters. This winter, Woodstock City Church and His Hands Church have also joined the network of churches willing and able to respond to this need. They serve on rotation, opening their campuses as a temporary warming station. What began small has grown into a collaborative effort among churches living out Matthew 25:40.
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ~ Matthew 25:40
The Homeless Coalition’s primary focus is walking alongside those who are precariously housed toward stability in housing and wholeness in Christ. In the absence of a permanent warming shelter facility within Cherokee county and the growing number of those losing access to affordable housing, we recognized the need for a temporary relief solution while working on longer term efforts that create pathways to sustainable housing.
The model shared among local churches in Woodstock can easily be replicated in other parts of the county. To inquire how to become part of the network of churches in Woodstock or to begin a network in another part of the county, contact: Andy Rogers or Marianne Butler.