CCH Note: In the suburbs and downstate, information on warming center sites should be available on every community website or by calling your local police non-emergency line.
Cook County also provides information on warming centers in suburban townships.
By Francine Knowles, Sun-Times Staff Reporter
The dangerous and potentially deadly arctic blast about to blow in has prompted extended hours of operation at warming centers in Chicago.
Statewide, more than 100 warming sites will be open. For sites available statewide, call (800) 843-6154 or visit keepwarm.illinois.gov
For the most up-to-date information on warming centers in Chicago (or to seek help for yourself or others) and to access transportation assistance, CALL 311.
The city of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services said its six community service centers and six senior centers in Chicago will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday to help those seeking refuge from the bitter cold. The service centers are open to the general population, but the senior centers will be available exclusively for seniors, department spokesman Matt Smith said.
Statewide, warming centers are available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the roughly 100 Illinois Department of Human Services offices. The Illinois Tollway Oases in the Chicago area also are available as warming centers 24 hours, seven days a week, according to the department.
The National Weather Service is warning dangerous wind chills are likely Sunday night through Tuesday night. Wind chill readings are forecast to potentially plunge as low as 40 to 45 below zero Monday and Tuesday morning. The temperature isn’t expected to make it above zero.
For those in need of assistance, the community service center sites in Chicago open to the public are these (with MAP):
† Englewood Center, 1140 W. 79th
† King Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove
† North Area, 845 W. Wilson
† South Chicago, 8650 S. Commercial
† Trina Davila, 4357 W. Armitage
† Garfield Center, 10 S. Kedzie Ave., which is the lone Chicago site open 24 hours every day to connect residents to emergency shelter.
Senior center sites in Chicago open exclusively to seniors are:
† Central West Regional Center, 2102 W. Ogden
† Northeast (Levy) Senior Center, 2019 W. Lawrence
† Northwest (Copernicus) Senior Center, 3160 N. Milwaukee
† Renaissance Court, 78 E. Washington
† Southeast (Atlas) Senior Center, 1767 E.79th
† Southwest Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie