Pinellas Cold Night Shelters
Cold Night Shelters are pop-up shelters operating through Pinellas County when the "feels like" temperate dips below 40-degrees between November 15th and March 15th.
Pinellas Cold Night Shelters are not Activated at this time.
Through a partnership with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), bus rides to and from Cold Night Shelters will be free from 5:00pm the night of an activation until 7:00am the next morning. Please note that this services is only available during activations. Riders must tell PSTA drivers that they are going to a Pinellas Cold Night Shelter when boarding to ride fare-free. If drivers have questions, riders should ask drivers to contact PSTA Dispatch.
About Pinellas Cold Night Shelters
Pinellas Cold Night Shelters are a lifesaving program that provide those in-need with a warm, safe place to sleep on the coldest nights of the year. The Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas (HLA) activates Cold Night Shelters when the National Weather Service predicts the “feels like” temperature will reach 40-degrees or colder between 6pm and 6am across Pinellas County.
Pinellas Cold Night Shelters are nontraditional, “pop-up” shelters inside of local churches, community centers, and emergency shelters. Pinellas Cold Night Shelters are located in Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, Pinellas Park, Kenneth City, and St. Petersburg. Each location provides guest with a blanket and mat, and many locations provide meals and additional supplies. When activated, Pinellas Cold Night Shelters are open between 6pm and 6am.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) offers fare-free transportation during Pinellas Cold Night Shelter activations. PSTA bus rides to and from Pinellas Cold Night Shelters are free beginning at 5:00pm on each night of the activation and ending at 7:00am the following morning. Riders must tell drivers they are going to or leaving a Cold Night Shelter to ride fare-free. If drivers have questions, riders should ask them to contact PSTA Dispatch.
Pinellas Cold Night Shelters rely on community support, as they are primarily staffed by volunteers. Please click here to learn more about volunteering, and click here to learn about donation opportunities. To join the Cold Night Shelter Team, please email MRobinson@HLAPinellas.org.
VOLUNTEER WITH PINELLAS COUNTY’S COLD NIGHT SHELTERS
Make a difference in our community by signing up to volunteer at Pinellas County’s Cold Night Shelters today! By volunteering during Cold Night Shelter Season (Nov. 15th - Mar. 15th), you can help improve the wellbeing of our community by helping shelter and feed some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Shelters are located across the county, including Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, Pinellas Park, and St. Petersburg. Please click the buttons below to inquire directly with a Cold Night Shelter. You may also click here to complete a general HLA volunteer application.
DONATE TO SUPPORT PINELLAS COLD NIGHT SHELTERS
Every donation helps! Our cold night shelters operate with a tight budget and provide a warm place for our citizens with no home to sleep when it’s cold outside at night. Monetary donations, volunteer time, or providing meals or other services are all welcome! Thank you very kindly for your open heart and generosity.
Support this lifesaving program through a donation at www.bit.ly/HLADonation. To donate via check, please mail the donation to the Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas at 740 4th Street N, Suite 206, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; please write “Cold Night Shelter” on the check.
To donate supplies, please click here. You may also view the Cold Night Shelter Amazon Wishlist here.
The Cold Night Shelter Program relies on community partnerships for continued success! If you are interested in sponsoring, volunteering with, hosting, or collaborating with Pinellas Cold Night Shelters, please email Megan Robinson at MRobinson@HLAPinellas.org.
