Cleveland city officials will continue to re-evaluate daily whether to keep the city’s four warming centers open as another blast of frigid air bears down on the region.
While residents at the warming centers change on a daily and hourly basis, one woman has certainly taken advantage of the resource, spending several hours each day this week seeking shelter at the Lonnie Burten Recreation Center.
The warming centers were opened the day after Christmas as the region began to slog through bitterly cold temperatures. They have remained open all day ever since.
Around noon on Wednesday, Kikie Jiles-Williams was the lone attendee at the warming center at Lonnie Burten Recreation Center on East 46th Street. The fact that she was the only one taking advantage of the service at the time was more of an exception than the rule, she said. More people took advantage of the service on Tuesday.
“We did bingo,” Williams said as he let out a hearty laugh. “We had a ball.”
Williams doesn’t have much other than her Quran, a bag of supplies and a telephone. Luckily, she doesn’t have to worry about a place to stay the night thanks to the warming center.
“When your hands are tied behind your back and [there’s an] alternative to relieve the stress of anxiety, this is why [the warming center] is important,” Williams said.
Williams has spent several hours each day this week at the warming center. As she continues to search for a more permanent place to live, the warming center has provided everything she could want in the interim. The warming center has also provided her a way to avoid exacerbating her spinal condition and severe arthritis.
“You’re warm. They’re feeding you. You have people dropping off necessities for you. Then, you can go to Tri-C and do job searches on the computer,” Williams said. “The library is right down the street and then you have Cleveland police riding past and making sure you’re okay. There’s really no other choice.”
Attendance at the warming centers tends to vary, depending on the day of the week and what time of day it is. The total number of people using the warming center has ranged from a couple to a couple dozen, officials said.
On the first day, Williams said she received a warm welcome.
“You feel that. You feel the warmth and caring of people.”
Over the weekend, city officials put out a plea for donated clothing, food and personal hygiene products. Over the next few days, several large bags were dropped off at the warming center, each of them stuffed with items. Williams is overwhelmed by the support.
“Just knowing that you have people who really care, that means a lot,” Williams said.
