Stevens Point, Wisconsin, warming shelter extends hours during extreme cold

Stevens Point Community Outreach Inc. is extending the hours of its warming shelter during extreme cold weather to help people without homes stay safe. The shelter operates inside Frame Memorial Presbyterian Church near downtown Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

The nonprofit has been established for less than a year and says it is committed to providing resources to the unhoused community, including hot meals and warm beds. The organization has been helping the unhoused population since November 2025.

Because of the cold weather, the shelter is extending its hours from 7 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. today and tomorrow. During that time, people can sleep, eat and get items to keep them warm. The shelter will open its doors at 7 p.m. Wednesday, an hour earlier than usual.

The shelter has room for 20 people and is trying to get more cots donated so it can accept more people in the future. Once inside, guests receive clean socks, hand warmers and hot drinks, a practical form of charity and hospitality (Matthew 25:35).

Michelle Strasser-Goman, president of Stevens Point Community Outreach, described the supplies the shelter provides. “We give our guests hand warmers in the morning, like hand warmers and foot warmers and body warmers. We have emergency packs. It’s the little things that we’re providing to try to get them a little bit better,” she said.

The organization says its work would not be possible without donations from community members and organizations. People interested in helping can check the organization’s Facebook page, which includes an Amazon wish list. Strasser-Goman said the shelter recently added face masks to the list, and they were all bought within about two days. She said the shelter still has some needs, including sweatpants, which have been difficult to find.

People can also help by volunteering their time. They can contact the organization at spcowi@yahoo.com.

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