Salvation Army offering shelter from cold temperatures

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Cold temperatures are expected to stick around, even dropping lower as we head into the weekend.

As a result, some people are looking for a place to stay warm.

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We talked to volunteers at the Center of Hope about what they are doing to ensure people have somewhere warm to stay.

Joseph Marley has volunteered at the Center of Hope for seven months. He says he feels fulfilled helping people, especially when it’s cold and people have nowhere else to go.

“It’s cold outside. It’s rainy. There are people waiting to come in right now. Their socks are wet. So, you know, it’s rough. It’s rough,” he said.

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During this time of year, the Center of Hope expects to see nearly 150 people per night. Over the past week of cold weather, they’ve seen more families coming through their doors than usual.

Major Jonathan Reamer at the Salvation Army tells us they are constantly working to better serve the community.

“We want to continually do the best we can to serve as many people as we can, as best as we can. That can sometimes feel overwhelming. But we are constantly working through making it even better for those who are in need,” he said.

Although the Center of Hope is an emergency overnight shelter, they accommodate cold weather by staying open all day, every day, so people don’t have to return to the cold after an overnight stay.

As for Marley, he just hopes more people become more compassionate toward those who need help.

“A lot of people aren’t even interested. They just go about their day-to-day lives and forget about folks that really do need help. They drive by them, and people are cold,” he said.

Lines for an overnight stay at the Center of Hope begin at 3:30 p.m. and check-in is from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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