UCAN Preparing to Open Roseburg Warming Center for Third Winter
UCAN is reopening the Roseburg Warming Center for a third winter, offering warmth, food, and shelter during freezing nights. The center opens when temps drop to 30°F or below. Volunteers and donations are needed—sign up at housinghomelessservices.as.me/volunteerorientation.
ROSEBURG, Ore. — With temperatures beginning to dip, the United Community Action Network (UCAN) is preparing to reopen the Roseburg Warming Center for a third consecutive year, offering warmth, food, and safety to community members in need during freezing weather.
The center operates in partnership with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the Housing Authority of Douglas County (HADCO), and the City of Roseburg, whose collaboration ensures that the facility can open each winter when temperatures become dangerous.
The primary site will again be St. Joseph’s School Gymnasium at 630 W. Stanton Avenue. When the gym is unavailable, the James D. Myer Activity Center at 900 W. Stanton Avenue will serve as the backup location.
The Warming Center activates only during periods of extreme cold—when nightly lows reach 30°F or colder, or 32°F during inclement weather. On those nights, check-in begins at 5:30 p.m., and the center closes at 8:00 a.m. the next morning.
“The Roseburg Warming Center is a testament to what we can achieve when our community works together,” said Jordan Jungwirth, UCAN CEO. “We rely on compassionate volunteers, dedicated staff, and the generosity of partners like St. Joseph Church and HADCO to open their doors at times it matters most.”
Last winter, the warming center was open 18 nights across December, January, and February, serving more than 100 people and providing 408 shelter bed nights. Guests received hot meals, blankets, and a safe space to rest, while others stopped by simply to warm up and share a meal.
Cold exposure remains one of the leading causes of preventable death among people experiencing homelessness, with an estimated 700 deaths nationwide each year. To support the Warming Center, UCAN encourages donations of socks, hand warmers, and survival supplies at their office, 251 NE Garden Valley Blvd, Suite 111.
UCAN is also seeking volunteers and will hold orientation sessions throughout November at its Garden Valley Service Center:
- Nov. 5 at 10:00 a.m.
- Nov. 6, 12, 17, and 20 at 5:30 p.m.
“Volunteers are the heart of the warming center,” said Michelle Fiorese, UCAN Homeless Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator. “Without their service, many unhoused residents would not have a safe place to go during freezing nights.”
To register for a volunteer orientation, visit housinghomelessservices.as.me/volunteerorientation.
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