Warm Place for the Homeless

Homeless in Garland at 16 degrees overnight

The weather is getting brutally cold, night is coming and you are homeless in the Garland area. All the shelters in Dallas are full even if you had a way to get there. Surely there is another shelter of some type in the East Dallas County area. No such thing! Until Jan 2015 that was how the story began & ended. In January 2015, the Garland Overnight Warming Station (GLOWS) coalition was formed to address this problem.

The (GLOWS) Garland Overnight Warming Station was activated on three different occasions in the winter of 2016-2017. Homeless folks were transported or walked in for a safe, warm evening which included dinner and breakfast the following morning. When temperatures reached a dangerous 16 degrees, 33 guests were kept warm overnight on cots in the Axe Memorial gym, host for the overnight warming station. On one of the extremely cold evenings eight GISD students were provided a warm place to sleep, meals and books to read,

The Garland Overnight Warming Station (GLOWS) Coalition is committed to providing emergency sheltering for residents and displaced individuals in need of temporary assistance. The GLOWS coalition represents service providers, nonprofits, faith-based and social activist communities. Currently the coalition does not include the City of Garland or the Red Cross.

Mission Statement

The GLOWS Coalition is committed to providing emergency sheltering for residents and to those individuals that are displaced and in need of temporary assistance. With that being said, the purpose of this Plan is to provide the framework for operating an emergency shelter for those without housing during life-threatening weather conditions. The GLOWS Coalition provides emergency shelter for residents and displaced individuals in need of temporary assistance. OR The GLOWS coalition provides emergency shelter for un-housed families and individuals during life-threatening cold weather.

Activation Criteria

* 25 degrees or less with no precipitation forecast

* 32 degrees or less with at least a 20% chance of precipitation

Location & Coalition members

Overnight Warming Station: Axe Memorial United Methodist Church, 1700 W. Kingsley Road, Garland,75041

Citizens Firefighters Club, Texas Vet Commission, Hearts and Hands and Axe Memorial UMC, Good Samaritans of Garland, Garland Area Habitat for Humanity, Matthew 25:40 Project, Gloria Dei Church, Salvation Army, Garland Pawsability, Springcreek Church, Berean Baptist Church, Saturn Road Church of Christ, Garland Opportunity and Development Center.

Want to help or more information please contact:GLOWS Chairman, Mike Bencheck [email protected] 972-853-1523