Mid-Missourians who don't have homes to hunker- down in during winter storms should be anxious for the next couple of days.
A system boasting freezing rain, sleet, snow and dangerously low temperatures is bearing down on the community.
Anticipating need, the Salvation Army Center of Hope and Jefferson City Room at the Inn have set up overnight cots so people can have warm places to stay.
"This is what winter is like for us," said Sean Spence, the regional director of community relations for the Salvation Army of the Central Missouri area. "We're going to do as much as we can do."
The Salvation Army offers its "warm cots" to people seeking shelter when forecast overnight lows fall below freezing. However, it chose in December to offer the warm cots every night, anticipating a flood of folks needing shelter after evictions early this winter.
Organizers of the shelter have pointed out they are receiving requests for shelter from people who have recently been evicted from their homes daily, regardless of weather.
As one of several Jefferson City locations listed as warming centers on the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) website, The Center of Hope, 927 Jefferson St., also offers a place for people to spend time inside, away from the cold, during the day.
"There just aren't as many options in Jeff City as we would generally like," Spence said Tuesday. "It's going to be very cold. There's going to be a lot of snow. We're anticipating a lot of need."
Places like Missouri River Regional Library (MRRL) or Clarke Senior Center are also warming centers, but officials at both locations said they would probably not be able to open today or Thursday because of severe weather. It would be too dangerous for staff to try to come to work, they said.
MRRL Director Claudia Cook said the library would reserve its decision whether to open today and Thursday until after late forecasts come in during the evening.
"With the amount of snow predicted, I do not think we could safely stay open to the public," she forewarned. "We make our decisions one day at a time.
"I am working the information desk now, and have already spoken to our unhoused patrons about the possibility of the library being closed tomorrow (Wednesday)."
"It's winter business as usual. We've got all the warm cots that we own -- are out," Spence said. "The space is there. We are doing OK as far as having the staff we need.
"Sometimes, it's a little tougher because the numbers are getting a little bigger."
The Salvation Army will be able to meet all its need, he said, with the help of Room at the Inn and possibly a few churches.
Jefferson City Room at the Inn is a collaboration -- an interfaith community model shelter -- that offers winter shelter.
Folks at Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri, 1015 Edmonds St., have agreed to let the organization use some of its office space as a shelter.
Stefani Thompson, the interim chairwoman for JC Room at the Inn, said the organization is prepared to provide shelter for 10 people.
Her organization is prepared to shelter people who may not qualify to stay in the Salvation Army because of their backgrounds.
"We don't have staff or space to provide shelter all day," Thompson said. She added that First United Methodist Church has agreed to take people to a warming shelter during the day, if necessary.