County Shelter Transitions to Warming
Center Today at Noon
News Release: November 3, 2011
Contact: Janice Osborne, Regional Communication Officer
American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262; pager (610) 830-9771


The emergency shelter at the Troxell building on Cedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown (South Whitehall Township) will close today (Nov. 3) at noon and transition to a warming center at Hope UCC Church, 1031 Flexer Avenue in Allentown.

"Our senior citizen shelter population and those people most at risk have now been able to go back to the comfort of their homes," said Thomas Nervine, Lehigh County Emergency Services director. "We expect that the remaining families in our shelter who were without power last night will be able to return home today."

"I truly believe people appreciated having a warm place to stay during the power outage," said Nervine. "Shelter residents were very cooperative and patient with our volunteers, staff and with other shelter families. Everyone made the best of the situation."

At the new warming center people in need of a respite from the power outage can get a hot beverage, plug in cell phones, get information, and warm up, if necessary. The center will be open on Thursday, Nov. 3, from noon - 8 p.m.; and on Friday, Nov. 4, from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The county set up the emergency shelter and a warming center on Monday for people to stay warm while their power was out following Saturday's snowstorm. During the course of the incident, more than 100 people used the shelter and warming center. A cross-section of agencies worked in conjunction with the Lehigh County Emergency Services to assist residents, including South Whitehall Township, Parkland School District, PPL, The Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and a host of others.

For more information or questions, please contact Lehigh County Emergency Management Services at 610-782-4600.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross helped more than 92,300 people through preparedness and training classes, military support, senior lifesaving programs and services, emergency relief, information and referral and other education and outreach programs. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.