CPO seeks buildings for emergency cold weather shelters

Community Partnership of the Ozarks Inc. is seeking buildings that can be used as emergency cold weather shelters for the homeless.

The Springfield nonprofit is expecting a shortage this winter of real estate to house homeless people during cold temperatures, according to a news release. CPO's Crisis Cold Weather Shelter program is a community initiative started by the Ozark Alliance to End Homelessness, also facilitated by CPO.

Emily Fessler, CPO continuum of care coordinator, said in the release that people had to be turned away on two shelter nights last season because there weren't enough beds. Since then, another 60 beds have been lost, she said.

"That is a serious gap that we’re hoping to get ahead of now," Fessler said in the release. “Traditionally it has been faith-based organizations or nonprofits that open their buildings for this, but we are open to anything.

"There aren’t any specific requirements. As long as there is restroom access, our Crisis Cold Weather Shelter team can help work out the details."

CPO officials say emergency cold weather shelters operate on nights when temperatures are below 32 degrees from Nov. 1 through March 31. During the 2023-24 season, shelters were open 52 nights with an average of 183 people sheltered per night.

Melody Shuck, CPO's vice president of communications, said via email that 14 shelter locations were utilized through the Crisis Cold Weather Shelter program last winter. CPO does not own any of the buildings that are used, Shuck said.