With help from local government, public safety, faith communities and many community partners, Egan Warming Centers’ volunteers provide meals and a safe place to sleep on dangerously cold nights. Warming center sites are available to anyone in the community.
Egan Warming Centers is a program administered by SVdP whose mission is simple: ensure that unsheltered people in Lane County have a place to sleep indoors when temperatures are forecasted to drop below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Egan Warming Centers operate during the cold weather months, opening when the overnight temperatures are projected to be below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are Egan shelters open?
From November to March, Egan Warming Center is activated when overnight temperatures fall below 30 degrees, based on the average forecasted low temperature from numerous weather sites. Shelters typically open in the evening (6 or 7pm) and close the next morning (7 to 8am). Some shelters open later in the evening (9-11pm). Egan shelters are NOT open during daytime hours.
Where are Egan shelters located?
Specific warming center sites will be posted on the website for each night that Egan Warming Centers are open. While most Egan sites are consistent throughout the winter, that can change due to conflicting events. In Eugene, downtown shuttle buses are available from First Christian Church at 1144 Oak Street from 6pm to midnight when Egan is activated.
What happens at shelters? How does it work?
Egan shelters are run predominantly by volunteers. Egan guests are provided blankets and a sleeping pad. Dinner and breakfast are provided, either prepared on-site or delivered from another site. Guests may come and go as they please throughout the night. Guests must check in all of their belongings when they enter a shelter, and must take their belongings with them when they leave in the morning.
What does “low-barrier” mean?
Anyone and everyone seeking shelter is welcome at an Egan site so long as they abide by shelter rules that support the safety of everyone. Guests are not tested or questioned about their condition. They may be drunk, high, suffering from mental illness, all of the above, or just cold. Egan’s mission is simple: provide a warm, safe place for all who need it, one cold night at a time. So long as they are not endangering themselves or others, they are welcome.
Who goes to Egan shelters?
While everyone is welcome, Egan Warming Center guests tend to be the most vulnerable and fragile unhoused people in our community. They may have untreated mental illness or addiction, be newly released from prison, fleeing violence, experiencing human trafficking, down on their luck, or hidden from sight the rest of the year, surviving on their own. Many guests have experienced traumatic events that create real difficulties in navigating through our systems of care. Egan guests may not be welcome at any other shelter or support program in town because of past condition or behavior. They are youth, elderly, disabled, LGBTQ+, veterans, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents. They are survivors, trying their best, wanting to contribute, thankful, generous and loving. They are part of our community.
What about animals?
Many Egan guests have dogs or other animals that are important to them. Most warming center sites allow animals (crates are provided by Egan), but we understand there are some sites where this is not possible. Guests with animals will always be welcome, even if that means transporting them to a different site.
How do I volunteer?
To become an Egan volunteer, you just need to sign up, attend one of our new volunteer orientations, then sign up for a shift when we’re open.
How else can I help?
Gifts of any amount can provide direct support to Egan Warming Center and the people we serve. Just $10 will feed one of our guests a warm dinner and breakfast. You can give online at svdp.us (you can designate your gifts for Egan or any other St. Vincent de Paul program), or by calling St. Vincent de Paul at (541) 687-5820 and asking for Egan Warming Center.
How many nights per year?
Egan’s temperature protocol was set with the goal of shelters opening an average of 15 nights per winter. Since 2009 Egan has opened as few as eight nights and as many as 31.
How many guests stay at each shelter?
Every site is different, but capacity is typically based on available floor space. Some sites accommodate 30-40 guests, 60-75 is more typical, some sites can fit 100+ guests when necessary. More important than capacity, however, is committed availability.
What’s a super secret, simple, free, magic way to make a difference in my community?
Glad you asked! You can help people who are struggling by treating them like any other neighbor. Make eye contact, smile, say “hello” and “good morning” just like you would for anyone else. That simple act can reduce stigma and help in more ways than we will ever understand. It says “I see you, I acknowledge you, you are part of my world.”
Thank You To Our Community Partners!
The program receives funding from Lane County and support from a broad coalition of community members, service providers, nonprofits, faith and social activists, communities, and local government. Interested in joining us in this effort?
Contact us at: