ROCHESTER, Minn. - For the first time, the Salvation Army warming center will be open every night in March. This is a study in collaboration with Olmsted County to see if having a safe place open every night will decrease the number of people sleeping in public spaces.
"We really want to try to make sure that if we're going to do something for people, that it's going to be dignified, its going to be well-organized, it's going to be a safe environment, it's going to be a well-supervised space and that's really just not what it is out on the skyway or out on the street," says community engagement director Rebecca Snapp.
The results of the study could affect how the warming center operates next winer.
Because of this change, the warming center needs more volunteers and pre-packaged food item donations such as Gatorade, granola bars, and soup cans.
