DeKalb County will open several warming centers from Saturday, January 24 through Monday, January 26, in response to expected freezing temperatures and hazardous wind chills. The centers will begin operations at 6:00 p.m. each day and remain open for 24-hour activation during this period.
The main locations available for those seeking shelter include Exchange Park Intergenerational Center in Decatur, Frontline Response International on Gresham Road in Atlanta, and St. Vincent de Paul on Chamblee Tucker Road in Chamblee.
Transportation services are being coordinated by Frontline Response International, with routes originating from their headquarters at 2585 Gresham Rd SE, Atlanta. Initial pickups along four designated routes will be completed by 7:30 p.m., with final sweeps ending at 10 p.m.
Frontline Response International is under contract with DeKalb County to assist individuals needing shelter during extreme weather conditions. Individuals may arrive directly at the Frontline headquarters starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday for early entry access and assistance with placement in warming centers.
Community partners are also providing additional resources. New Life Community Alliance (NLCA) will operate a center at 3592 Flat Shoals Road in Decatur nightly from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., offering up to 35 beds for men and women. Tucker First United Methodist Church Cold Weather Refuge will serve both men and women from January 24 through January 27 at its Activities Center on Church Street in Tucker, providing health checks, meals, cots, showers, and laundry services for at least 28 people.
For further information about available warming centers operated by DeKalb County and its community partners, residents can visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/weather.
Recent data shows that DeKalb County schools experienced a decrease of approximately 2.2% in enrollment during the 2022-23 school year compared to the previous year (https://www.gadoe.org/). The total number of students enrolled was reported as 98,287 (https://www.gadoe.org/). White students represented the third largest ethnic group within the district’s student body, accounting for about 14% during that same academic year (https://www.gadoe.org/).
