OKLAHOMA CITY — Even with some warm October days, cold weather is quickly approaching. The Homeless Alliance is preparing to open its winter shelter November 1, marking the beginning of its third season operating from a permanent facility in Downtown Oklahoma City.
The shelter provides a crucial safety net for single adults experiencing homelessness through the coldest months of the year.
At 501 N. Indiana Avenue, the shelter will operate seven nights a week from November 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, opening daily at 3 p.m. and closing the following morning at 7 a.m. The low-barrier facility will accommodate up to 300 guests, with capacity to expand to 400 during extreme weather.
“We will never turn someone away at the winter shelter, as long as they’re a single adult,” Chief Shelter Officer Ian Applebaum told Free Press in an interview. “They can come by any time of night. There’s no curfew or anything like that.”
Part of the Homeless Alliance’s Westtown Homeless Resource Campus, the winter shelter works in coordination with the nearby day shelter, which opens at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 3:30 p.m. The Day Shelter offers meals, showers, mail services, and connections to housing, legal, and medical assistance.
“That gives us 24 hours of time that our clients are indoors and out of the cold,” Applebaum told Free Press.
The shelter offers guests several services, including nightly dinners, indoor storage for personal belongings, and an on-site kennel room for those with pets.
“We have dinner every night at 7 p.m., and we provide blankets, a place to rest, charge phones, and get a meal,” Applebanum said.
Applebaum said the shelter has become much more efficient now that it has reached its third year of operation. He said processes like client check-ins and mealtimes run faster, and this year, the shelter will also have a dedicated personal care assistant to help guests with mobility challenges or medical needs, allowing staff to provide more focused and effective support.
This season also introduces new leadership with Amanda Gautier joining as the winter shelter’s director, bringing a decade of experience and providing staff support.
“She’s able to support the winter shelter staff a lot better, so I’m really excited for that and the breadth of leadership and experience that comes with that, as well as bringing on some of our previous staff from years past to make sure that we have a consistent experience for our clients,” Applebaum told Free Press.
Gautier wrote in a statement to Free Press that, in her position as winter shelter director, she and her shelter team plan to ensure basic needs are being met, but they also plan to provide an atmosphere of trust for clients.
“My goal for this season is for our guests to not only have a safe place to rest and protection from the elements, but also access to resources to help them thrive,” Gautier wrote to Free Press.
Addressing the need
The permanent winter shelter opened in 2023, following approval from the Oklahoma City Council to convert a 25,000-square-foot warehouse into a year-round emergency facility. Previously, shelters across the city relied on “overflow” models, which converted day shelters into overnight spaces only on freezing nights.
Homeless Alliance officials reported that, during the winter shelter’s first full season from November 2023 to March 2024, they served more than 3,500 unique individuals.
In early 2025, attendance remained high, with more than 350 guests on typical nights and 700 meals served daily through the day shelter.
According to the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, there was a 2.4% increase in homelessness from 2024. That is compared to last year’s increase of 28%. Of those surveyed, 63% were in shelters, 13% were in transitional housing, and 22% were unsheltered.
Other findings from the PIT show:
- 7% of those counted were veterans
- 19% were members of families with children
- 24% reported mental illness
- 23% were chronically homeless
Community involvement remains essential to shelter operations. The Homeless Alliance encourages donations of winter clothing and supplies, especially warm coats (men’s large and up), gloves, hot hands, jackets, beanies, thermal underwear, blankets, and work boots.
“Our biggest needs include donations of winter weather gear,” Applebaum said. “We are only able to provide clothing through our donations, and having access to things from our community is always great.”
Financial donations and volunteer support are also accepted. For individuals seeking help, the Winter Shelter operates on a walk-in basis and welcomes all single adults in need. Learn more about available programs online.
Zoe Elrod covers events and happenings around Oklahoma City for Free Press bringing her skill as a reporter and photographer. Zoe has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks.
