VERO BEACH, Fla. — As temperatures dip into the 40s — and feel even colder with the wind chill — warming shelters across the Treasure Coast are opening their doors to help people experiencing homelessness escape the dangerous chill.
At The Source in Vero Beach, about a dozen people are seeking warmth Friday night. It’s one of the few shelters in the area offering 24/7 refuge, while others open only during periods of extreme cold.
For Lea Marie, the shelter offers not just warmth — but a bit of hope.
“It is hard, you know, physically, mentally demanding,” she said.
Lea has been in and out of homelessness since 2015, spending time in cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago before coming to Florida.
“I slept on the Blue Line train from Rosemont to O'Hare, back and forth,” she recalled. “To stay warm, I covered up in a trash bag.”
While the cold is a regular challenge in northern cities, for many in South Florida, it’s unfamiliar — and unforgiving.
To meet the need, several warming centers opened Friday evening across the region:
- St. Lucie County: Percy Peek Gym — opened at 5 p.m.
- Okeechobee County: Rite-Life Services — opened at 6 p.m.
- Indian River County: The Salvation Army — opened at 7 p.m.
- The Source (Vero Beach): fully open by 9 p.m.
Even as the temperatures drop, The Source continues its mission beyond emergency response. CEO Anthony Zorbaugh says everyone who comes in is provided with a hot meal, a shower, and a safe place to sleep — including on their innovative “Dignity Bus.”
“Individuals are able to get on the bus between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., 365 days a year,” Zorbaugh said. “Every single bus is built and outfitted by people coming out of homelessness.”
The organization’s Dignity Bus program — a fleet of retrofitted buses with 20 beds each — is believed to be the first mobile emergency shelter program in the country.
While temporary warming centers serve a vital purpose, Zorbaugh says The Source aims for something more lasting.
“Doing it this way eradicates homelessness,” he said. “Being a service model, you’ll never eradicate anything — you’ll just have clean, well-fed people sleeping on park benches. And for us, that’s unacceptable.”
For information about warming centers and shelter resources in your area, visit WPTV.com/weather or call 211 for assistance.
