Warmth during frosty North Idaho winters is something most of us take for granted. We have remedies: Notch up the household heat, put another blanket on the bed, break out the furry slippers or cuddle with your pet.

But when the temperature drops below freezing, the cold can be cutting for the less fortunate who have no place to turn to keep comfortable.

Thankfully, there’s a way out. Or, rather, a way in for those seeking shelter from the harsh elements.

As it has every winter for years, the St. Vincent DePaul warming center in Post Falls offers overnight refuge for individuals and families who can’t turn the heat on for themselves.

Located at 202 W. Seventh Avenue in the River City, the St. Vincent DePaul warming center opens its doors when the temperature dips below 28 degrees.

“We’re here so people who need it can stay warm,” says warming center director Scott Parker.

Relying entirely on community donations, the warming facility has 36 beds and an extra room for families in need, says Parker, a St. Vincent employee who volunteers his time to coordinate shelter operations. And when the snow flies, those beds are usually full.

When activated, the St Vincent’s shelter is open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Those in need who are in Coeur d’Alene can catch a van from the nonprofit’s campus on Harrison Avenue just off Government Way and Walnut Avenue.

Parker said it costs about $280 per night to operate the warming center, including modest wages for two staff members who work 12-hour shifts, rent, utilities and supplies like paper plates and toilet paper.

“We couldn’t do it without the community donations,” he said.

St. Vincent DePaul executive director Larry Riley said getting the warming center up and running is a complex and time-consuming endeavor.

“I can’t imagine where we’d be without community support,” Riley said. “I’m amazed by the support coming from people in the community who actually think about what it’s like to be homeless and in the cold. When they think about it, they take action!”

Riley said it’s expensive to run the center that is entirely supported by private donations.

“A warming center isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s a ‘must have’, Riley said. “Without it, bad things happen. People die—and have - when there’s no place to go. You can’t survive without cover.”

Community donations to the warming shelter are warmly welcome and freely flowing, Parker said.

That includes a volunteer drive by the Lake City Church in Coeur d’Alene, which organizes a “Fill the Truck” charity event to collect sleeping bags for those in need. Parker said more than 100 sleeping bags have been donated this year.

“It’s just amazing how people come together to help others,” he said.

An employee at St. Vincent’s for the past five years, Parker said his work at the center is a labor of love.

“Growing up, I had a lot of family and friends struggling with homelessness—so I connect with that,” Parker said. “It’s a blessing to be able to help them, especially when I hear a good success story later that they’ve gotten back on their feet.”

St. Vincent DePaul is always accepting donations for the warming center and its other community causes. To contribute, contact Parker at (208) 664-3095, extension 306.