POST FALLS - Crazy Love.

That's the name of the book organizers say inspired a plan to start a new warming center for the homeless in Post Falls that opened Monday night.

"No matter what you do to show you love people, you can never really do enough," said Tom Hamilton, plant manager at Ground Force Manufacturing.

The Post Falls company owned by Ron Nilson is donating use of a 4,000-square-foot warehouse at 6001 Seltice Way. It will have heat, lights, a kitchen, bathrooms, tables and chairs. It will be open daily 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at least through February.

Most important, it will provide a nightly shelter for the homeless from North Idaho's cold, wind, rain, snow and ice, said Patty McGruder, homeless outreach worker with the Dirne Community Health Center.

"I have worked on this for four years, I'm still in shock," she said.

McGruder delivered the news to groups of homeless Monday morning. Their reaction was one of joy.

"It was as if they won the lottery," she said. "They were clapping and crying and cheering. They just wouldn't stop hugging me."

Around 30 homeless arrived at the shelter Monday night.

Hamilton said Nilson was stirred by a sermon series and home group study ongoing at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls on the book, "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.

"Ron Nilson just really felt moved to do something," Hamilton said. "He said nobody should have to sleep outside with the resources we have."

The company had a warehouse being used mostly for storage.

"We thought this was a better use for it," said Hamilton, who was busy Monday afternoon buying fire extinguishers and No Smoking signs that will be posted at the center.

McGruder said Ground Force, Dirne and St. Vincent de Paul worked together on the project that fell quickly into place Monday. A series of phone calls that began around 9 a.m. ended with a done deal that afternoon.

"It was quite the community collaboration," she said. "These folks felt strongly encouraged by God. It was placed on their heart to help those living outside."

Several homeless encampments were recently closed due to fires that got out of control started by their residents trying to stay warm. It left them with even fewer options.

While some would like the homeless to just go away, McGruder asks this question: "Where would you like me to put them?"

The new warming center will need a few volunteers each night, as well as donations of food, sleeping bags and other supplies. A plan to transport homeless from surrounding areas to the shelter is in the works.

"Ground Force stepped up in a huge way. Now, the community has to take it from here," McGruder said.

Matt Hutchinson, social service director for St. Vincent, said that with the opening of this warming center in Post Falls, St. Vincent may close its warming center in the same town on Seventh Street. In turn, it would contribute the operating budget from that site to the new one.

"There's going to be a place to go seven days a week through February," he said. "There's an option every single night right now."

The shelter will be open if it's 35 degrees or colder.

The Fresh Start warming center at 16th and Sherman and St. Vincent's center in Post Falls generally don't open unless it's below 20 degrees.

Many homeless are reluctant to take down tents and camps if they know they might only have one day at the warming center.

Now, they know where they can go each night, McGruder said.

"This will make a huge difference," she said.