Shelter expands capacity as early cold endangers Seminole County residents

Rescue Outreach Mission, Seminole County's only low barrier homeless shelter, saw a sudden rise in demand when temperatures dropped unexpectedly on December 2. The facility normally houses more than 100 men, women, and children, but the early cold pushed an additional 25 to 30 people to seek shelter each night, testing the shelter's capacity and the county's emergency response.

Because Rescue Outreach Mission is designated as an extended capacity cold weather shelter, it worked with the county Office of Emergency Management to expand sleeping space when temperatures fell below 40 degrees for longer than three hours. The OEM supplied extra cots and blankets, and staff converted the dining room and the family building into temporary sleeping areas. The shelter also partnered with area churches to set up pop up shelters when indoor space ran out, aiming to keep people off the streets and reduce exposure to hypothermia and respiratory illness during the cold period.

Executive Director Chris Ham said the shelter has "been blessed with donations of blankets and coats from the community," and the organization is also accepting toiletries, with an emphasis on disposable items like paper towels and toilet paper. He added that Rescue Outreach Mission will have served over 110,000 meals by the end of the year, and encouraged group involvement, saying "We’re always open to opportunities for groups to come and help us cook."

Local public health officials note that cold weather increases risks for people experiencing homelessness, including worsened chronic disease, hypothermia, and complications from respiratory infections. The shelter's reliance on community partnerships highlights gaps in long term housing and health services, and underscores the need for sustained funding and coordinated emergency planning across city and county agencies.

Ham emphasized the importance of those partnerships in getting through winter, saying "I’m truly thankful we’ve got a great relationship here with our shelter, with Seminole County, with the Office of Emergency Management and the County Commissioners, and City of Sanford staff. We really collaborate together well to make sure that our neighbors are taken care of," he said. "We’re fortunate that we live in the greatest county in the world."

Residents who want to help can contact Rescue Outreach Mission at 407-321-8224, by email at [email protected], or online at https://romcfl.org/donate/. Financial gifts are being matched by benefactors including Advent Health up to $60,000 through the end of the year.