Dallas opens temporary homeless shelter at Fair Park as arctic blast makes its way to North Texas
DALLAS - The city of Dallas has opened a temporary shelter at Fair Park for the city's unsheltered residents.
Organizers expect to serve between 800 and 1,000 people daily.
There are volunteers going through Downtown Dallas and surrounding areas trying to get the city's estimated 1,500 unsheltered residents out of the cold.
Intake at the Fair Park shelter is open until 10 p.m. daily.
The city is teaming up with area shelters in hopes of reaching as many people in need as possible.
With the first round of freezing temperatures already settling in on North Texas, there’s a mad dash to get homeless residents off the streets.
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Friday morning, volunteers with the Salvation Army visited camp sites and handed out blankets to folks who may be reluctant to come in.
At Fair Park, the city has set up a temporary inclement weather shelter inside the Grand Place Building in partnership with Austin Street Center.
"Will be the only location activated until further space needs are indicated, at which point, Austin Street will work with Fair Park," said Christine Crossley, director of the Office of Homeless Solutions for the city of Dallas.
Cots have been set up in rows.
The shelter can house approximately 1,000 people.
They will be provided with three meals per day.
"As people enter the building, they will go through a security process to make sure they have nothing on them that would make them or someone else unsafe," Austin Street Shelter CEO Daniel Roby said.
The temporary shelter is designed for single adults and does allow pets.
Another nonprofit, Our Calling, is assisting with the day-to-day operation.
Families who show up at the shelter will be provided with alternative accommodations.
"We're not going to turn anyone away, so we'll make sure that anyone who turns up at the shelter gets the appropriate place to sleep that evening," Roby said.
The shelter will remain open for as long as temperatures are forecast to be 36 degrees in wet weather and 32 degrees in dry weather for three hours or more.
Unsheltered residents will also be provided with donated coats if they need them.
"We want to absolutely make sure that when they leave the shelter, they have essential items to keep them warm," Dallas Deputy City Manager Kimberly Tolbert said.
There is a need for volunteers to help staff the temporary shelter.
If you'd like to help, you're asked to visit Our Calling’s website, where you can sign up for shifts.
You can make a donation on the site if you'd prefer to help that way.