Q&A: How Pop-Up Shelters Are Helping Tulsa's Homeless Population During Freeze

Two Pop-up shelters have opened in Tulsa to give those without a home a place to stay for the next few nights.

There are beds available at the Tulsa Dream Center West Campus and at the Rose Bowl.

Why are these pop-up homeless shelters opening?

Due to the below-freezing temperatures in Tulsa, several agencies working to serve homelessness partnered together to make sure people without a home had somewhere to keep warm.

Where are the shelters and how long are they open?

The Tulsa Dream Center on 4122 West 55th Pl., Sunday through Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9 a.m., adults only. 

The Rose Bowl on 7419 East 11th St., Sunday through Thursday, Jan. 9 at 9 a.m., adults only, no pets.

Are other shelters open?

The Tulsa Day Center, Salvation Army, and John 3:16 Mission are all open and have added more beds.

What can people expect when they go to a pop-up shelter?

Josh Sanders with the Tulsa Day Center said, "We've got food, we've got cots, we've got blankets, we've got clothes, socks, all kinds of fresh supplies there's going to be three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner there are always snacks on the table come get a snack, we're going to try to keep coffee around the clock."

There will also be case managers available from at least 35 different agencies.

How can someone without a home get connected with a pop-up shelter?

There are outreach teams going all around Tulsa looking for homeless people and offering to give them rides to shelters. 

If you see someone who is homeless and needs to get out of the cold, CLICK HERE to fill out an outreach request form.

What agencies are involved in helping run these pop-up shelters? 

Sanders says multiple organizations are helping with the pop-up shelters.

"That includes the Tulsa Day Center, Housing Solutions Tulsa who, serves as the lead agency, Tulsa Dream Center is a part of that, Family and Children Services, Grand Mental Health all of these agencies who have come together who are serving homelessness here in Tulsa."

Will the pop-up shelters reopen if temperatures reach below-freezing again? 

Sanders says agencies are working to find a venue to open another shelter for next weekend.

"We're really trying to work on a plan so if anybody has support there for us additional shelter options towards the end of the week, please reach out to The Way Home for Tulsa, Housing Solutions.