First United Methodist Church will be opening the doors of the Cupp Family Life Center at 2 p.m. Thursday as a warming shelter, the shelter's organizer said.
The shelter, which is located off Pratt Street, will remain open until Monday, Dec. 26, at 10 a.m., said Sally Carder, a volunteer with St. Luke's Episcopal Church and the organizer of the shelter.
Carder said the primary need for the shelter is volunteers. Volunteers can sign up to help at the shelter by visiting https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0449abad22a3fa7-warming.
"The sign-up sheet for volunteers will be available (today)," she said. "It will be on First United Methodist Church's (Facebook page). It will be on St. Luke's Episcopal Church Facebook page, and it will be on Lakeview Assembly of God Church. It'll be on my (Facebook page). We will pass it around."
Carder said getting volunteers is often difficult, but it is even more difficult during the holidays.
"We'll miss our Christmas with our families, but this could turn out to be one of the biggest blessings that you could ever have if you're there during this time," she said.
Blankets are always a need at the warming shelter, Carder said. While there have been some donations of blankets recently, the need for twin- or full-size blankets is significant.
"What I see that we've got blankets coming in are those smaller ones, those little throws," she said. "So we need -- no big bedspreads -- but we need blankets that would be warm on their cots."
Clean clothing is also needed.
"We need men's underwear, preferably boxer briefs, of all sizes, T-shirts, sweatpants and hoodies. ... Any of those can be new or used, as long as they're clean," she said, noting underwear must be new.
"The biggest need we have is the underwear," she said regarding clothing. "We have a bigger need for men's underwear. I can always send out even for women's. We have socks; got plenty of socks."
With the shelter open four nights, food is also needed. Carder requested individually packaged snack foods and bottles of water are needed as well as fresh fruit like bananas and oranges.
"We don't do apples because it hurts their teeth," she said.
Any group or individual who would like to provide a meal should contact Carder at 501-282-2812.
"We like to feed them a good warm breakfast and a hot dinner meal and maybe sandwiches for lunch," she said. "If somebody is interested in doing that, then if they will give me a call ... and I can put them in contact with the lady that handles it."
Monetary donations can be made by going to https://www.stlukeshs.org/give and selecting Warming Shelter on the form. Food and clothing donations can be made at the Cupp Family Life Center at First United Methodist Church.