NEW BERN, N.C. — Cold weather and the possibility of snow makes for the perfect opportunity to cozy up at home. However, for people who don't have a warm place to wait out the weekend, shelters are key.

What You Need To Know

  • Shelters are essential for people struggling with homelessness during winter storms

  • Religious Community Services is providing a warming station and emergency shelter

  • They have meals and extra beds in preparation for the cold weather

  • Shelter visitors are grateful for the services RCS provides

During a winter storm like this one, the work Krishanda Jones does is more important than ever.

“Our main focus is people who need to warm up, that they have a space here,” Jones said.

She works at Religious Community Services, or RCS, a place that provides the homeless in New Bern with food, essential items and emergency shelter. On Friday, they set up a warming station with coffee, movies and relief from the winter blast.

“It takes the pressure off of where am I gonna go today,” Jones said. “And we have that opportunity to give them 20, 30, 45 minutes to give them a place to sit and not think about that next move. That's everything.”

Their shelter usually houses 10 men and 10 women, but they've added extra beds this weekend since they're busier than usual from the cold weather.

Amy Flanagan is a regular at RCS.

“I've been off and on the streets since I was 18,” Flanagan said. “And this is the best place I've found to keep warm on days like this.”

She says it's a struggle to always have to worry about where your next meal is coming from, but the people at RCS are very helpful and dedicated to their jobs.

“In my mind I have a survival routine,” Flanagan said. “So I have to make sure I have food, I have plenty of clothing, find some type of shelter somewhere. But knowing I can come here and get all of that taken care of, it takes a load off my mind, off my heart, off my spirit. I'm grateful. I really am. I can't ask for better.”

Jones says it's people like Flanagan that remind her why they try to make RCS so welcoming.

“It has been an amazing thing to watch, actually,” Jones said. “It does my heart good to look at the people's faces coming in that they are not only getting a meal, but them seeing the coffee station.”

Jones says if the weather is still bad through the weekend, the warming station will be open again from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a lunch break from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The emergency shelter opens at 3 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.