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Orlando works to get families without permanent housing to safety before Ian

Photo: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay
/
WMFE
Cold night shelters will open tonight, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024 to anyone in need of a warm bed or a hot meal during temperatures that will drop to the mid and low 40-degrees range.

The City of Orlando and the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida are working together to make sure that people without permanent housing are safe during Ian. 

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer says local homeless shelters are expanding in order to provide housing to people living out of their cars or on the street. 

“Shelters will extend capacity. Our homeless outreach teams and downtown ambassadors are out on the streets providing weather information and directing people to shelters."

County hurricane shelters are also prepared to house these families.

Dyer says getting people to safety is a priority right now, for the city and its partners including Homeless Services of Central Florida and the Salvation Army. 

“Many of our not-for-profit partners and city staff are working to make sure that those experiencing homelessness are safe.”

Hurricane Ian is expected to hit Florida as a Cat 3 storm, bringing flooding, high winds and possible tornadoes to Central Florida, all conditions that would be near impossible to weather outdoors.

If you need to find shelter or food, call or text 211 or click here for a complete list of homeless and emergency shelters in your county.

Danielle Prieur covers education in Central Florida.