MONTICELLO- Officials from Sullivan County have announced that warming stations in Liberty and Monticello have opened for the season. The facilities will remain open for anyone in need from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every night through April 15, 2024.
The warming stations are located at:
- United Methodist Church, 170 North Main Street, Liberty
- St. John’s Episcopal Church, 15 St. John Street, Monticello
Monticello’s site is new this year as the usual location, the Ted Stroebele Center, undergoes renovations.
“While last winter was relatively mild, we still had significant usage of both shelters,” noted Sullivan County Health & Human Services Commissioner John Liddle. “Almost 150 people used the Liberty shelter, for a total of close to 1,000 stays since it opened last November. Monticello opened in December and served 123 people, for just under 500 stays overall. Because of a sharp increase in evictions in recent months and a shortage of affordable and supportive housing inventory, we expect utilization to be higher this winter. Fortunately, the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance supported our requests for additional funding to expand our operations this year.”
Warming centers in Sullivan County exist to protect unsheltered individuals and families from the cold of the winter. Warming center staff are experienced and trained in working with people who have complex and severe service needs. These locations offer people more than a place to sleep, and human service providers from across the County chip in to help those in need gain access to medical care and other social service benefits.
Warming centers also give the vulnerable a place where they can feel safe. The Liberty warming center is directly across the street from the Village of Liberty police station, and additional funding granted by OTDA this year will provide onsite security at the Monticello warming center.
Deputy Social Services Commissioner Giselle Steketee added, “We’re very fortunate to have such strong community partners.”
