10/22/2026
❤️ Help Us Keep Our Neighbors Warm, Safe, and Cared For This Winter!
Have you ever been so cold that you couldn’t imagine ever feeling warm again? Then you went home, cranked up the heat, snuggled beside the fireplace, wrapped yourself in a heated blanket, or took a long, hot shower—and suddenly, all was right with the world again.
What a blessing to have a warm place to come home to!
But the truth is, not everyone has that luxury.
What would you do if your heat went out on a frigid winter night? Where would you go if you were evicted from your apartment? What if you were living in your car and ran out of fuel, with no money to buy more?
We don’t want families—especially those with children—to face those circumstances alone. And we certainly don’t want any of our unhoused neighbors to lose their lives to hypothermia.
This winter, our community is coming together to make sure people have somewhere warm, safe, and welcoming to turn when the temperatures become dangerously cold.
Several local agencies and organizations are working together to make this possible:
• New Life Church is providing space for overnight shelter from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
• Help the Homeless will provide daytime shelter from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as transportation between facilities.
• The City of Somerset and Pulaski County Government will help cover utility costs and snow removal as needed.
• God’s Food Pantry will provide food for meals not covered by other participating agencies. (Additional meal partners will be announced soon.)
• SKYHope will provide breakfast as needed and cleaning services at New Life Church.
And we have more partners coming on board!
Isn’t it amazing what our community can accomplish when we work together? We’re creating a place where our neighbors can find warmth, food, safety, and compassion when they need it most.
But we need your help to make it happen.
The biggest challenge: Finding qualified staff
New Life Church has done an incredible job operating our community warming center over the past several years. Year after year, however, one of the greatest challenges has been finding enough people willing and able to staff it.
Ideally, we would have an abundance of volunteers ready to leave their own warm homes whenever dangerously cold weather is forecast. They would stay up through the night, watch over people they may have never met, help keep the facility clean, make sure food is available, and create a calm, welcoming atmosphere. They would rearrange family time, personal commitments, and even plans for caring for their own homes and pets.
That kind of generosity is beautiful—but it is also incredibly difficult to sustain.
This year, we’re trying something new.
We believe we can provide more reliable, consistent supervision by paying qualified individuals to staff the warming center. We plan to have two people scheduled at all times, making every effort to have one male and one female on each shift.
This will help ensure that our neighbors have dependable, caring supervision when they come in from the cold.
Can you help us cover the cost?
A group of representatives from several local agencies is working together to provide a clean, safe, warm, and convenient shelter, food to nourish those who come through the doors, and compassion in abundance.
Now we need help covering the cost of qualified staff.
The committee overseeing the Somerset Pulaski County Crisis Response Fund has approved the use of a separate line item in that fund to pay warming center staff.
I’ve volunteered to take the lead on fundraising for this project—for now. I’m hopeful that our community will come through, because if we fall short, we’ll have to scramble to organize additional fundraisers.
Here’s what we’re facing:
• We anticipate the warming center may open approximately 60 times this winter.
• Staff will work two shifts, with coverage of up to 17 hours per day.
• We plan to have two people working at $15 per hour.
Our estimated staffing goal is $30,000.
Any funds remaining at the end of the season will be carried forward to help support next year’s warming center.
And here’s a simple way to think about your donation:
A $30 gift helps cover one staff-hour of warmth, safety, and peace of mind for people facing a winter crisis.
Imagine being chilled to the bone, frightened about where you’ll sleep, and wondering how you’ll survive the night. Now imagine someone opening the door, welcoming you inside, and making sure you’re safe and warm.
Your generosity can help make that moment possible. You can be someone’s hero this winter.
❤️ Please give what you can
By mail:
SPC Crisis Response Fund
PO Box 259
Somerset, KY 42502
In person:
SPC Crisis Response Fund
119 S. Central Ave
Somerset, KY
Online:
PayPal: www.paypal.com
Send to [email protected]
Please include “Warming Center” in the note.
Please don’t let me fail in this effort. Every gift, no matter the amount, will be deeply appreciated.
And please remember: Donations to this fundraising effort will go exclusively toward paying warming center staff. The agencies and organizations working together on this project still depend on your regular donations to continue their other important work.
Thank you for caring about our neighbors. Thank you for believing that no one should have to face a dangerously cold night alone. And thank you for being part of a community that looks out for one another.
With love and hugs,
Brenda
Please share this post! The more people who hear about this effort, the more neighbors we can help keep warm and safe this winter. ❤️
