Monday, December 22, 2025

Pasadena’s Bad Weather Shelter to Open Tuesday Night Ahead of Incoming Storm

STAFF REPORT

Friends In Deed will open its Bad Weather Shelter on Tuesday night, Dec. 23, just two days after the official shift of seasons and the winter solstice, the nonprofit announced in a statement. Capacity and additional services will be limited during opening week, with full operations expected to resume in January.

The shelter opens on weather?activated nights when the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures of 40 degrees or below, a 40% or greater chance of rain, or high winds of 40 mph or more. When fully activated in January, guests will receive a hot dinner, a cot to sleep on overnight, access to restrooms, warm clothing, and individualized assistance from trained staff and case managers who can help connect them to housing, employment and other essential resources. The program is intended to help guests stay safe during inclement weather.

“With storms on the horizon, we know how critical it is to respond quickly and provide warmth, food, and safety,” Laura Van Alstine, director of the Bad Weather Shelter, said in the statement. “Even with limited capacity, opening allows us to meet urgent needs while preparing to fully scale up our services for the winter season.”

The shelter is located at Trinity Lutheran Church, 997 E. Walnut Street, Pasadena, CA 91106. Guest enrollment runs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on activated nights. Community members can check activation status by calling (888) 915?8111.

Friends In Deed, a human and social services agency that celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2024, operates five core programs: a Food Pantry; The Women’s Room, a daytime shelter for homeless and at?risk women; Street Outreach and Housing; the Bad Weather Shelter; and Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance.

The nonprofit describes its work as grounded in its core values of being caring, community?based, human?centered, inclusive, interfaith and resourceful.

For more information about the shelter or to volunteer, the press release directs readers to contact Van Alstine at laurav@friendsindeedpas.org.