Here in Northwest Indiana, we are a hearty bunch when it comes to shifts in the weather. However, there come times when our weather becomes life-threatening. Although we’ve had a milder start to this winter, we are now coming into the coldest months of the year, traditionally. When temperatures plummet well below freezing, and the wind whips off of Lake Michigan, this can easily create wind chills that can cause frostbite in mere minutes. For those who do not have adequate shelter or heat, Nest Community Shelter becomes a vital lifeline, opening as an emergency warming shelter for our community.
Daily, we act as a sanctuary for our unhoused neighbors, providing not just warmth and shelter but dignity and hope. During extreme weather events, we expand our resources, opening our doors to community members seeking refuge from the deadly cold. Our shelter becomes an emergency warming center for Michigan City, as our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure no one faces the brutal winter out in the cold. Nest acts as a community warming shelter along with other community agencies working in cooperation with the City of Michigan City when requested by city officials.
The reality of extended extreme cold can be devastating for our unhoused population and neighbors who do not have access to adequate heat. When temperatures remain below freezing for days or weeks, the risks multiply exponentially. Frostbite can occur in as little as 30 minutes of exposure. Hypothermia silently claims lives as body temperatures drop dangerously low. The harsh truth is that every winter, individuals across the colder parts of the are susceptible to losing their lives to the cold—lives that could have been saved with access to warm shelter.
But the dangers extend beyond the immediate threat of exposure. Extended cold snaps force people to make impossible choices: Stay in an unheated apartment, stay overnight in their car, or risk the streets to find warmth? Use the last few dollars for food or for hand warmers? The physical and mental toll of constant exposure to extreme cold is cumulative and devastating. It weakens immune systems, exacerbates existing health conditions, and can trigger or worsen mental health crises.
This is why our work is more than emergency response—it’s about building community resilience. When we open our doors during extreme weather events, we’re not just providing shelter; we’re creating connections and building support networks. In past cold weather events, when we’ve opened our doors, we’ve witnessed a neighbor whose heat has gone out sitting and sharing stories over a cup of coffee with one of our current shelter guests. These moments of shared humanity remind us that we are all vulnerable to nature’s extremes, and we are all stronger when we face them together.
Our shelter has operated at near capacity almost year-round this past year, but during severe weather, we make room. We welcome in our community out of the cold and save lives. We do this because we know that in extreme cold, minutes matter. Hours matter. Every person who walks through our doors is someone’s child, parent, friend, or neighbor. They all deserve warmth and safety.
When the temperature drops and the city opens warming centers across Michigan City, remember: our doors are open. Whether you’re experiencing homelessness or just need a warm place to wait out the storm, you’ll find shelter here. Because in the face of nature’s extremes, we are all neighbors, and no one should have to brave the cold alone.
