Athens-Clarke County is preparing for a period of cold weather from January 18 to 20 by providing a range of emergency and ongoing resources for residents in need. The Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, which serves as a consolidated city-county entity in Georgia, offers public services and oversees community initiatives throughout the area. More information about these services can be found on the official government website at https://www.accgov.com/.
Temporary additional emergency shelter resources or warming stations may be added at private locations or county facilities during severe weather events. Residents are encouraged to check www.accgov.com/weather for updates before, during, and after such conditions. For real-time information on shelters and warming sites, individuals can visit www.accgov.com/shelter or text ACCSHELTER to 888777.
A temporary pop-up warming site will be available at the Multimodal Transportation Center at 775 East Broad Street from Sunday evening, January 18, through Tuesday morning, January 20. The facility will offer an indoor lobby area with warming resources and donated goods but does not provide overnight sleeping space. Volunteers interested in helping should email meredith.barnum@accgov.com; shifts last two hours and involve distributing supplies and maintaining the space.
Ongoing shelter resources include:
– Bigger Vision of Athens (emergency shelter for individuals)
– Salvation Army (shelter for families and individuals)
– Athens Area Homeless Shelter (for families with children)
– Family Promise of Athens (for families with children)
Additional support services are provided by The Sparrow’s Nest and the Homeless Day Service Center operated by Advantage Behavioral Health Systems. The Athens-Clarke County Library also remains open with regular hours as a resource.
The Emergency Management Agency has issued guidance on preparing homes for winter weather: insulating homes, keeping faucets dripping to prevent freezing pipes, knowing where shutoff valves are located, winterizing vehicles, removing hazardous tree branches, and assembling “Ready Kits” with essentials. They advise making plans to stay indoors when possible and using heating equipment safely.
Residents should stay informed through NOAA Weather Radio or other news sources during severe winter storms since emergency response could be delayed due to conditions.
For further details about cold weather preparation, visit accgov.com/weather.
Athens-Clarke County operates as a consolidated city-county government formed in January 1991 by merging the city of Athens with Clarke County. It delivers municipal services across both areas including management of parks, facilities, community programs, and historic preservation efforts such as those involving the Morton Theatre. More about its governance structure is available at https://www.accgov.com/.
