For the first time in Ames, the community has a dedicated space where people can find refuge from bitter cold nights.

The Ames Warming Place opened its doors last month and remained in service for 17 consecutive days as extreme cold settled over the city. Located in the basement of First United Methodist Church on Kellogg Avenue, the site opened on Jan. 16, just as temperatures began to drop and the overnight lows were consistently below zero.

“We thought it would be cold for a day or two — we’ll open and we’ll figure out what we’re doing — what went well, what we’re doing wrong and all of that,” Linda Murken, the chair of the Story County Board of Supervisors, told the Ames Voice. “But no, it just kept getting cold, staying cold … And all of a sudden, it was 17 days.”

Prior to the warming place, people without homes had few options when temperatures dropped below freezing.

Creating the Ames Warming Place

The idea to create an overnight warming center began with an email Murken received in January 2025.

“I remember getting an email from somebody who said, ‘It’s cold outside. There are unhoused people out there. You and the city have to open a warming center tomorrow,’” Murken said. “I simply said, ‘That would be a mistake.’ This is something you have to plan. You have to have a place, you have to have cots, and you’ve got to have people to monitor it. You can’t just say, ‘Open a door someplace, and you have a warming center.’”

Discussions began in mid-November after the Story County Board of Supervisors reached out to the Ames Romero House.

“I think we finally figured out the right people to get in the room to make it happen — people who are already working with unhoused people and who know the needs, the barriers and the things we’d run into,” Murken said.

Securing a location proved the most difficult hurdle, with organizers initially selecting a different site. They needed a spot that’s easily accessible to other organizations such as the Ames Public Library and Ames Romero House, said David Thielen, executive director of the Romero House.

Originally, the warming center was planned for south of Lincoln Way but it wasn’t accessible to the downtown resources.

“The current location at Ames First United Methodist Church is ideally situated across the street from the Ames Public Library,” Thielen said. “Additionally, the original site was frequently used for other events, which would have required us to take down beds every day. The church basement allows us to keep the setup in place, eliminating that logistical challenge.”

Murken said the first choice also faced zoning issues. Then First United Methodist Church reached out to the group.

“The church actually came to us. They had thought about it before, and they heard that our group was working on having a warming place,” Murken said. “And they said, ‘We’d be willing to consider it.’ … And they were very instrumental in talking to their congregation about the need, and getting their congregation’s buy-in.”

The location helped create a network of organizations near downtown that Thielen said collectively care for the marginalized community.

How the warming center operates

To decide when to open, organizers monitor forecasted temperatures a week in advance. The Warming Place opens if the forecast calls for temperatures below 10 degrees for three consecutive days, five degrees for two consecutive days, or zero degrees for one or more days. Agencies are notified three days in advance so they can alert unhoused individuals and coordinate volunteers.

Thielen said community support has been vital, noting that the initiative sparked an uncomfortable but important conversation regarding local homelessness.

The operation relies on around-the-clock volunteer support. Two volunteers cover the 12-hour night shift, while one or two others assist during the evening check-in and the morning check-out.

Doors open at 8:45 p.m. and close at midnight, with most guests arriving before 10 p.m. Upon entry, guests undergo a security wand check and are provided purple plastic totes to store personal items. Before lights out, guests can talk and have light refreshments or coffee.

The facility provides 10 cots in two rooms — one for men and one for women. While the church can accommodate up to 20 people, organizers said nightly attendance averaged between 12 and 15, though some nights did reach capacity. On most nights, both rooms were used to house men, while the few women who came were provided motel vouchers through The Salvation Army.

Ames Warming Center collaborators

• Ames First United Methodist Church
• Story County
• ARCH: Alternative Response for Community Health
• Ames Romero House
• The Bridge Home
• The Salvation Army
• City of Ames
• Mary Greeley Medical Center
• Youth and Shelter Services