Oakland opens warming centers

Oakland’s Human Services Department has opened several warming centers because of the cold weather, officials said. The centers opened Tuesday and will stay open through Friday morning but the hours vary from site to site.

City officials said the centers are operating on a first-come, first-served basis. They will provide tea and/or coffee and a cup of soup for each client, along with a cot or mat and a blanket. If the cold weather persists, the sites will expand their hours on Friday.

Oakland officials said the regional inclement weather response has been developed through a collaboration of the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville and Alameda County, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Bay Area Community Center.

The centers are available to both Oakland and Emeryville residents. The warming centers’ hours will depend on the weather meeting the parameters of the temperature dropping to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below and/or a 50 percent or greater chance of rain.

If that threshold is met, the warming centers will open that evening and will be re-evaluated on a day-to-day basis. The centers are located at the St. Vincent de Paul Society Community Center at 2272 San Pablo Ave., the Henry J. Robinson Multi-Service Center at 559 16th St., E.O.C.P. Crossroads at 7515 International Blvd. and St. Mary’s Center at 925 Brockhurst St.

Details about the hours and other city services for the homeless and hungry are available at www.oaklandhumanservices.org.

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