QuickTake:

St. Vincent de Paul, which manages the centers, has confirmed one youth and two adult locations in Eugene and anticipates having a Springfield location. 

St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County plans to operate the same Egan Warming Centers in Eugene as it did last year. 

The nonprofit agency also anticipates having a Springfield center but is still confirming if it will be at the same location as last year, said Bill Barnard, director of operations for St. Vincent de Paul. 

St. Vincent de Paul activates shelters November through March when overnight temperatures are forecast to drop below 30 degrees. Last year, the Egan Warming Centers were active for 19 days.

The warming centers in Eugene will be at the Lane Events Center, 796 W. 13th Ave., and at The Zone, 530 Highway 99N. A youth warming center will be at First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive St. in Eugene.

Last year, St. Vincent de Paul set up a complex of modular shelters at Mohawk and Centennial boulevards in Springfield. 

Barnard told Lookout Eugene-Springfield he is “very hopeful that we’ll still have a home there on Mohawk.”

“We’re just trying to work through some of the neighboring areas and businesses to make sure that they understand that we’re going to be good stewards and good neighbors of the area like we were last year, and just try to alleviate some concerns about what having the program and having the shelter in place there, what kind of impacts that would have on them,” Barnard said, noting the center did not receive complaints last year. 

If that location moves forward, it would be similar to the nonprofit’s setup last year, he said. It operated with around 80 beds, and volunteers used an on-site mobile kitchen to provide meals. 

Barnard said the fairgrounds location served “upwards of 180 to 200” people between two buildings. The Zone has had 130 to 180 people. 

“All in, when everything is near the top, we’re between 400 and 435 beds available,” he said. “We only had a couple times last year when we got close to being, you know, quote unquote full, and I say it that way because we’re never full. We always find another way, and nobody ever gets turned away.”

On nights the shelters are activated, three buses use a transportation hub at First Christian Church, 1144 Oak St. in Eugene, to take people to and from the locations. A fourth bus travels around town letting individuals know the shelters are open and offering rides. 

Warming centers are volunteer-run, and about 700 people volunteered last season, Barnard said. Volunteers are required to attend training. For more information and to register as a volunteer, visit the Egan Warming Centers website.

Barnard said the nonprofit operated fewer sites last year, “and the reason that decision was made is because we could more effectively operate larger sites than be spread out among a bunch of smaller ones.” 

However, the warming centers operated more beds than normal, he said. 

Barnard said donations of gender-neutral winter clothing, including socks, gloves, jackets and sweats, are helpful and can be brought to any St. Vincent de Paul retail location. 

“A lot of people come in cold and wet, and sometimes those nice winter clothes can make a world of difference around them getting to experience that comfort that night,” he said.