Emergency warming shelter

Stepping Up During the Coldest Winter Nights

When temperatures become dangerously low, the Compassion Center steps forward to help protect neighbors experiencing homelessness in Cartersville and Bartow County.

Our Emergency Warming Center provides vulnerable adults with a safe, warm place to sleep during qualifying severe-weather events. Guests receive more than protection from the cold, they are welcomed with compassion, dignity, meals, basic necessities, and connection to people who genuinely care about their well-being.

Operating the Warming Center is a community-wide effort. Compassion Center staff, volunteers, churches, donors, Emergency Services, hospitals, and local partners work together to prepare the facility, provide meals, staff overnight shifts, distribute essential supplies, and ensure guests are treated with respect. During our 2026 activation, the Warming Center operated for 19 consecutive nights, welcomed 85 individuals, and was supported by 812 volunteer hours.

The Warming Center is not a year-round homeless shelter. It is an emergency response activated during qualifying cold-weather conditions. While it provides immediate safety, our larger goal is to build relationships and connect guests with medical care, resource navigation, recovery support, and sustainable pathways toward stability.

During the coldest nights of the year, no one organization can meet every need alone. Together, our community becomes the hands and feet of Jesus—offering warmth, safety, dignity, and hope to neighbors who might otherwise be left exposed to life-threatening conditions.

The Compassion Center Warming Center operates out of Grace Baptist Church gymnasium:

477 Old Cassville White Rd

Cartersville, GA 30121

How the community can help

Community members can support the Warming Center by:

  • Serving an evening, overnight, or morning volunteer shift

  • Providing an approved meal

  • Donating requested supplies

  • Making a financial contribution toward winter operations

  • Encouraging a church, business, or civic group to participate

  • Sharing official activation information

Please review the Compassion Center’s current needs list before collecting or delivering supplies. Needs and storage capacity can change throughout the winter.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • The Warming Center is generally activated when temperatures are forecast to remain below 25 degrees for two or more consecutive days. Activation is based on weather conditions, facility readiness, staffing, and guidance from local emergency-management partners.

  • No. The Compassion Center is not a year-round overnight shelter. The Warming Center opens only during announced qualifying severe-weather events.

  • Activation dates and operating information are normally announced within approximately 36 hours of an expected weather event. Updates are posted on the Compassion Center website, event calendar, Facebook page, and Instagram account, and through local emergency services and hospitals.

    Because weather forecasts and operating conditions can change, guests and referring organizations should verify that the center is open before arriving.

  • The Warming Center serves adults experiencing homelessness or unsafe sleeping conditions during qualifying cold-weather events. It is currently an adults-only facility.

  • The center can currently accommodate up to 90 guests per night in a gymnasium space. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.

  • Check-in generally begins at 6:00 p.m. and continues until the center reaches capacity. Guests should review the activation announcement for the exact check-in time and any event-specific instructions.

  • Yes. All guests must check in by 6:00pm to secure a bed each night and in for the night by 11:00pm. Doors will lock and there is no reentry after that time.

  • We partner with Grace Baptist Church in their gymnasium located at:

    Grace Baptist Church

    477 Old Cassville White Rd

    Cartersville, GA 30121

  • Meals and basic refreshments are generally provided through the generosity of volunteers, churches, donors, and community partners. Specific offerings may vary by activation.

  • Guests should contact the Compassion Center before arriving for the current policy regarding animals. Service animals are addressed according to applicable requirements, but the facility may not be able to accommodate pets or emotional-support animals during every activation.

  • The Warming Center currently serves adults only. Families with children should contact 211 or an appropriate local emergency-service provider for assistance locating a family-appropriate placement.

  • No. A stay does not guarantee housing, financial assistance, or placement in another program. However, it creates an opportunity for guests to build relationships with our team and learn about available medical care, resource navigation, recovery services, and community referrals.

  • The Warming Center is not a hospital, emergency department, or continuous medical-care facility. In a medical emergency, call 911. When available, Compassion Center staff may help connect guests with the Mobile Medical Clinic or an appropriate healthcare partner.

  • Guests should bring necessary medications, identification if available, weather-appropriate clothing, and only essential personal belongings. Space is limited, so guests should avoid bringing large amounts of property.