news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Some of the local shelters that provide a place for the homeless to stay overnight remain open today because of the weather.

Officials at Urban Ministry's Weaver House, Leslie's House in High Point and at least one of the church- or community-based winter emergency shelters in Greensboro said they kept their facilities open today.

"We didn't turn anybody out in the bitter, nasty weather," said Judy Mendenhall with West End Ministries, which runs Leslie's House, a shelter for women. The shelter also was open during the day Sunday because of the weather, she said.

Officials had predicted late last year that shelter would be needed for an additional 60 to 100 homeless people because of the poor economy.

The six winter emergency sites serve 102 people, leaving space at other shelters to handle overflow, said the Rev. Mike Aiken, Greensboro Urban Ministry's executive director.

"Thank the good Lord for them," he said.

The extra shelters will remain open through April 1 instead of March 15 as originally planned, he said.
Despite the help, Weaver House is still using its overflow space, sheltering about 40 additional people each night, Aiken said.

Figures were not immediately available for the Salvation Army's Center of Hope, which also provides emergency shelter for the homeless in Greensboro.