These bitter temperatures could spell serious trouble for people without reliable shelter, but help is available in our communities.

This year, the Martinsville Henry County Warming Center is facing a new problem due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cristen Anderson is the center’s director and is wondering what happens when the community’s safety net needs a safety net of its own. “Volunteers weren’t an issue last year, volunteers are an issue this year so if we don’t have volunteers, that safety net breaks and so we don’t have anywhere for anyone to go,” Anderson said. On Sunday night the center shared on Facebook that it had to close its doors. The warming center is the only kind of short-term emergency housing in the area.