For the first time, Belinda Durham turned to the St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho warming shelter Monday. 

She was glad she did. 

“It’s cold out there,” Durham said. 

She often sleeps in her car, but even with a flannel-lined sleeping bag and blanket, she can’t stay warm. When she was recently told about the area’s only emergency warming shelter in Post Falls, she went there. 

Durham found it clean, warm and friendly. 

Best, she would get a good night’s sleep.

“I don’t want to be out in the cold,” Durham said.

The warming shelter off Seltice Way opens when the temperature hits 33 degrees. With the lows lately in the 20s, and a forecast for that to continue, it’s likely to have plenty of guests, most from Kootenai County, filling roughly 25 beds in two different rooms for men and women.

Last year, it was open about 100 nights and provided nearly 1,000 bed nights. St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho Executive Director Scott Ferguson said they expect to be equally busy this season.

"Winters here are tough," he said.

St. Vincent has been operating a warming shelter for 15 years. It expects to spend up to $100,000 this season keeping the shelter staffed by two people open from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The money comes from donations. 

“The generosity of our community keeps the doors open,” Ferguson said. “Every time we seem to have a need, our community steps up.” 

The warming shelter has food and drink available. Couches provide places to sit and watch TV or play board games. Bunk beds are arranged in the far corner. An art wall displays drawings and paintings of talented guests. 

The shelter distributes coats, hats, gloves, blankets and sleeping bags. Last year, it gave out more than 400 sleeping bags. 

“Things go quickly," Ferguson said. "Basic needs are a high priority for us."

Ferguson said they want to give shelter guests a place where they can “reframe and refocus.” 

They see it as more than somewhere to spend the night, but as a lifesaver. Shelter guests can take a morning shuttle to Father Bill’s Kitchen in Coeur d’Alene, where they can get a meal and take a shower. 

“This is really a safe haven for folks,” he said. “It provides a sense of community, identity and safety.” 

According to the 2025 Point in Time Homeless Count in January, Idaho has 2,697 homeless people, down slightly from the previous year. Of those, 1,349 had a sheltered living situation, with 370 in transitional housing and 979 in emergency shelters.

Of the 1,348 that were unsheltered, the report said 742 lived out of vehicles, 322 were in "non-housing" and 284 slept outside. 

The report said 56% of Idaho's homeless were between the ages of 18 and 54; 23% were over 55 years old, and 20% were under 18. It said 56% were male and 43% were female. The report said Idaho had 134 homeless veterans. Sixty-three percent of Idaho's homeless were adults; 36% were families with children; and 1% were "child only."

In Idaho's Region One, which includes Kootenai, Bonner, Boundary, Shoshone and Benewah counties, there were 246 homeless in the PIT 2025 count, with 145 unsheltered and 101 sheltered.

Blake Brinkmeyer, who is working at the warming shelter, has known homelessness.

“When it’s a really cold night out and you sleep in that, it’s a hard morning,” he said. 

So Brinkmeyer knows the difference the shelter makes for those with nowhere to go. 

“That little bit of warmth and that little bit of security really raises their spirits,” he said. “A fresh, warm morning can really change a person’s life.” 

Ki Vargas, who also faced homelessness, is in her fourth year working at the warming shelter.  

“I want to help people in the same position where I was,” she said. “It was tough. It was really tough. Being homeless is very unsafe for a woman.” 

Both Brinkmeyer and Vargas remain awake all night, keeping an eye on things and being sure everyone is OK.

Vargas has witnessed people make the transition, with help from St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho, from being homeless to landing a job and then finding their own place to live. 

“I've seen people progress out of the program and that’s always amazing,” she said. "That's why I love what I do."

Donations of money, nonperishable food and clothing for the shelter can be dropped off at St. Vincent’s Help Center, 201 E. Harrison Ave., Coeur d’Alene. 

    Belinda Durham, standing, talks with Jennier Struckman, right, and Ki Vargas with St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho at the warming shelter in Post Falls.
  

    Men settle in for the evening at the St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho warming shelter in Post Falls on Monday.
  

    An art wall at the St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho warming center displays the talents of the shelter's guests.