The Ypsilanti Warming Center reopened Wednesday providing a free place to stay warm during the colder months.
The City of Ypsilanti is working with the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County for the fifth year in a row to use the Ypsilanti Freighthouse in Depot Town to offer locals food and respite from the cold during the day.
Ypsilanti City Manager Andrew Hellenga says, for the first time this year, St. Luke’s Episcopal, Second Baptist, and First United Methodist Churches of Ypsilanti will help shelter vulnerable community members overnight after the center closes for the day.
“So, there will be beds available for individuals throughout the winter months. So, that is a huge positive step in a direction for overnight shelter when it’s most cold and to help those vulnerable in our community.”
Hellenga says the city, along with the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, is looking for a suitable permanent location for the warming center because the Freighthouse wasn’t designed to be used for that purpose.
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