Nassau County, NY - November 17, 2015 - With cold weather approaching, Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano today announced that WARMBED, Nassau County’s Emergency Shelter Relief Program for homeless individuals and families during the winter months, will be activated Wednesday, November 25th, 2015 beginning at 6:00 p.m.
“No resident should have to spend nights in the freezing cold when they can call the Nassau County Hotline and be placed in a warm shelter right away,” said County Executive Mangano. “Homeless residents calling the hotline will be connected immediately to a person who can help them get out of the cold and obtain the services they need to restart their lives. Help is really just a phone call away.”
The Nassau County Winter Homeless Hotline, WARMBED, will operate 7 days a week and run through March 31st, 2016. If winter conditions persist beyond March 31st, the program will continue until warmer weather arrives.
Between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Monday thru Thursday, and Friday from 6:00 p.m. thru Monday at 8:00 a.m., employees from WARMBED and the Department of Social Services (DSS) will make appropriate referrals and provide shelter placement. Once placed, the staff at DSS and the Office of Housing & Community Development will contact those who are homeless in order to access resources for permanent housing. County Executive Mangano also urges Nassau’s homeless veterans to take advantage of the WARMBED program, where they will be assisted by the Nassau County Veterans Services Agency.
During the 2014/2015 season, a total of 257 individuals were housed by the WARMBED program. These referrals included 165 adults 92 children.
NASSAU COUNTY HOMELESS HOTLINE (WARMBED):
1-866-927-6233 (1-866- WARMBED)
EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
Department of Social Services (516) 227-8519: After office hours (516) 573-8626
Long Island Crisis Center (516) 679-1111
The Safe Center L.I. (516) 542-0404
Nassau University Medical Center (516) 572-0123