JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As temperatures continue to plummet, Jacksonville officials have extended operating hours at The Legends Center to provide overnight shelter for those seeking warmth, while local shelters prepare for increased demand.
The Legends Center on Soutel Drive has already seen a significant response from the community, with up to 24 people seeking shelter on its busiest night, according to Andre Ayoub, Division Chief of Duval County Emergency Preparedness.
“That’s 24 people that potentially didn’t have to go to the emergency room. Twenty-four people’s lives that we’ve all saved,” Ayoub said.
Nicole, who has been experiencing homelessness for about six months, has found refuge at the center for the past three nights.
“I definitely feel safe,” she said, noting the presence of security and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) personnel on site.
The city is taking additional steps to ensure no one is left in the cold:
- City officials are actively searching the streets, offering transportation via JTA buses to bring people to warming centers
- The downtown library is available as a contingency location if other facilities reach capacity
- The City Rescue Mission, Trinity Rescue Mission, and Sulzbacher Center have opened their doors to anyone lacking adequate heating
“If there’s anyone out there and you know that where you’re currently living, that you don’t have the appropriate heat in your home for you, for your children or whomever is with you, you are welcome to come to the City Rescue Mission,” said Jamie Williams, Director of Social Services at CRM.
Williams emphasized there are no concerns about overcrowding.
“We don’t want anyone to think that they can’t come in, because we’re going to find a way to accommodate them,” she said.
For those planning to utilize The Legends Center, Ayoub advises bringing essential items: “Bring food, water, cellphone, a mattress, airbag, medicine. You’ll have a safe, warm place to get out of this cold weather.”
A complete list of shelters and warming centers across the area’s counties is available here.