Homeless in RI: Shelters, Centers, Emergency Pop-ups. The critical, unmet need.

We continue to publish interviews and perspectives of those who are homeless, written by Bernie Boudreau. Here is his latest:

This morning at 6 AM the wind chill brought the 12-degree temperature to feel like -2.  I took an early morning trip to hand out 100 of my sister-in-law’s homemade chocolate chip cookies at Crossroads’ warming center.  The staff told me they had 62 people last night.  The homeless loved the cookies and asked for more.  In the Community Room nearly all the chairs at tables were filled and several people were sleeping on the floor.  The staff mentioned that many people were sick.

I left Crossroads to visit the Mathewson Street Church shelter and they too were at capacity.  The shelter was full early in the evening and couldn’t accept any more folks from the street.  Desperate people had to be turned away.  I saw two people under a pile of blankets in a doorway directly across the street. They were constantly moving trying to stay warm.  At 7 AM, shelter staff and volunteers removed cots and replaced them with tables and chairs, ending night shelter mode transitioning to day mode.  This transition accommodates more homeless people and allowed staff to invite the freezing couple, and others waiting, in from the extreme cold.

My hour-long visits this morning to the warming center and shelter confirmed that all of the homeless on the street could not find shelter last night.  This does not include the hundreds of tent dwellers, many of whom take the risk to heat with propane in the freezing cold.

It is clear there are not enough emergency shelter beds for the extreme weather.  Additional, immediate action by the Executive Office of Housing is critically needed to provide more emergency beds.

Bernie Beaudreau, Community Volunteer – Rumford, RI

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Shelters, Centers, Pop-Ups

Each night where temperatures are expected to be at a low enough temperature the Office of Housing in RI publishes an up to date list of shelters, centers and what are called pop-ups. Often pop-up locations change nightly. 

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Ahead of low temperatures expected tonight, December 15th, the Executive Office of Housing is urging Rhode Islanders in need to access available resources and is announcing the activation of three emergency pop-up sites to provide additional safe, warm places to go.

Below, please find a list of emergency pop-up sites, seasonal emergency shelters, overnight warming centers, and daytime resource and warming centers that are operating and ready to provide support. A comprehensive list, inclusive of state funded year-round shelters, can be found here: https://housing.ri.gov/resources/individuals-experiencing-homelessness

Accommodations and services at each site may vary, but all share the central goal of helping Rhode Islanders remain safe during the harshest temperatures.

We encourage media outlets to help share this information to ensure Rhode Islanders are aware of state-funded resources available to help individuals and families take refuge from the cold.

EMERGENCY WINTER POP-UP SITES OPENING TONIGHT — DECEMBER 15, 2025 

Emergency pop-up sites are temporary locations that open as needed during periods of severe or inclement weather. These sites open at the discretion of their operators, do not follow a fixed schedule, and may have varying accommodations. To access an emergency pop-up site, individuals should go directly to the address listed.

Town of West Warwick Emergency Pop-Up Sites

• Address: West Warwick Civic Center, 100 Factory Street, West Warwick, RI
• Hours of operation: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 a.m.
• Population served: All

Council of Churches Emergency Pop-Up Sites (two locations)

• Addresses: Matthewson Street Church, 134 Matthewson Street, Providence, RI

      Community Church of Providence, 372 Wayland Ave, Providence, RI

• Hours of operation: 7:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
• Population served: All

SEASONAL EMERGENCY SHELTERS:    

Seasonal emergency shelters provide safe overnight accommodations for individuals experiencing homelessness during the coldest months. These shelters offer protection from inclement weather and may also provide additional services, including case management, behavioral health support, substance use disorder treatment, meals, and housing navigation. To access a seasonal emergency shelter, individuals should go directly to the address listed or to a regional access point.

Community Care Alliance Seasonal Shelter

• Address: 356 Clinton Street, Woonsocket, RI
• Hours of operation: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
• Population served: All

Harvest Sanctuary Men’s Seasonal Shelter

• Address: 60 North Main Street, Woonsocket, RI
• Hours of operation: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
• Population served: Men

OpenDoors Family Seasonal Shelter

• Address: 572 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI
• Hours of operation: 24 hours
• Population served: Women & children

WARM Center Seasonal Shelter

•  Address: 56 Spruce Street, Westerly, RI & 8 North Road, Peace Dale, RI
•  Hours of operation: 24 hours
• Population served: All

OVERNIGHT WARMING CENTERS:

Overnight warming centers provide safe, temporary indoor spaces for individuals seeking relief from cold weather and access to services. Hours of operation vary by location, and projects may offer various accommodations to help people stay warm overnight. To access an overnight warming center, individuals should go directly to the address listed.

Crossroads Overnight Warming Center

• Address: 160 Broad Street Providence, RI
• Hours of operation: 24 hours
• Population served: All

Newport Mental Health Overnight Warming Center

• Address: 1 Eisenhower Street, Newport, RI
• Hours of operation: 7:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
• Population served: All

DAYTIME RESOURCE & WARMING CENTERS:   

Daytime resource and warming centers are sites that open daily to provide individuals with safe, staffed areas where they can stay warm, access basic needs, and connect with essential supports and services. To access a daytime resource & warming center, individuals should go directly to the address listed.

Community Care Alliance Warming Center

• Address: 245 Main Street, Woonsocket, RI
• Hours of operation: M-F 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Weekends & Holidays 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Population served: All

Youth Pride, Inc. Warming Center

• Address: 743 Westminster Street, Providence, RI
• Hours of operation: M-F 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Population served: Young adults ages 18-24

Municipalities may also open community based warming centers for those in need. For details on the resources available in your municipality, please contact your city or town directly.

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RINewsToday suggested to “Housing” that they provide this information, which comes daily in the afternoon, to those who are often the “first responders” to the homeless – firefighters, EMTs and EMS workers, hospital emergency rooms, police departments – and we understand they are working on doing that. If you or your agency would like to receive this information, get in touch with us at news@rinewstoday.com.

This list is not exhaustive and local cities and towns and nonprofits may have additional sites – a good resource is always a call to your local Police Department – or accessing the RI Emergency Medical at https://riema.ri.gov/warming-centers and Housing RI at: https://housing.ri.gov/resources/individuals-experiencing-homelessness