Portland overnight warming shelter will open this weekend [Video]

With temperatures dropping this weekend, communities are working to bring people inside. The overnight warming shelter at First Parish Church will open this weekend for the first time this winter.”It’s literally life-saving work and limb-saving work,” Rev. Norman Allen said. “When it gets really cold, there’s the threat of hypothermia, there’s the threat of frostbite, and there’s the threat of death.”The City of Portland activates its warming plan when the daily low temperature hits 15 degrees Fahrenheit or if it snows more than 10 inches.It won’t be that cold this upcoming weekend, but the Rev. says they’ll open early anyways because the need is there. The church ran the shelter last winter as well.”We’re providing the space again for those folks who won’t go to the standard shelters,” Rev. Allen said. “It’s an opportunity to to keep them alive and to keep them safe and healthy.”The Maine State Housing Authority …