Chicago Warming Centers: 113 Places to Escape the Cold This Winter

Winter in Chicago, 2013 (David Wilson / Wikimedia Commons)Winter in Chicago, 2013 (David Wilson / Wikimedia Commons)

As winter weather arrives, Chicagoans can seek refuge from the cold at 113 public buildings designated as warming centers. 

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Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services operates six warming centers that are open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays when temperatures drop below 32 degrees. Warming centers are not open on holiday weekdays unless specifically indicated, but the Garfield Center, located at 10 S. Kedize Ave., is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to connect residents to emergency shelter.

Additional facilities are opened as needed, such as libraries, community centers and police stations. To find the nearest warming center in Chicago or find an overnight shelter, call 311. Additional resources include this online map and this list of warming centers.

Operating hours vary from location to location, so it’s best to call or check the map for full details.

Below, a map of the six DFSS warming centers:


Contact Alex Ruppenthal: @arupp [email protected] | (773) 509-5623

This story was originally published Nov. 9, 2018. It has been updated. 


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