Recently, it was announced that Duluth would open an emergency warming center at City Center West to help those in need of shelter.  That location has changed.

On Friday, the City of Duluth, CHUM, St. Louis County, Loaves and Fishes, and the Duluth Housing and Redevelopment Authority announced that instead, the Duluth Housing and Redevelopment Authority would host the site in the Rainbow Center at Tri-Towers located at 211 North 3rd Avenue East.

The primary reason for the change in location is the new location will allow more space to provide better social distancing opportunities. The City says the Rainbow Center is larger than City Center West, and can accommodate more people safely if need be.

“The Duluth Housing and Redevelopment Authority is happy to provide space for the emergency warming center,” said Jill Keppers, executive director of the Duluth Housing and Redevelopment Authority. “This space is not being used due to the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, we are able to use the space so that people experiencing homelessness can not only come in from the cold but also can use the space to sleep in if they need to because it has sprinklers.”

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The Rainbow Center will open for use on nights where the National Weather Service predicts that the temperature will drop to 32 degrees or below, and will operate from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Activation of the warming center for any specific night will be determined through operational coordination between partners, and announced by CHUM staff.

The Duluth Transportation Center is stepping up and will provide transportation to and from the site on nights when it has been activated.

CHUM in Downtown Duluth, located at 120 N. 1st Avenue West, will also continue to provide a warming shelter for those in need this winter.

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