John 3:16 Mission Keeping Tulsa Homeless Warm Over Cold Blast

Area shelters are getting ready for a round of winter weather.

Since the colder temperatures blew in, the John 3:16 Mission has been serving as a warming center our area homeless.

The mission is trying to keep people warm and safe ahead of the storm.

If need be, the John 3:16 Mission also as an overflow shelter for the city if winter weather gets bad.

Rev. Steve Whitaker has his facility prepared for winter weather this weekend.

His staff looks to see if they have enough food, blankets and beds for anyone that's trying to escape the winter weather.

The staff is preparing for the next 24 hours -- winter weather and a packed shelter.

“When we start thinking about cold weather, we start thinking about: 'Do we have enough blankets for the beds? Do we have enough blankets if we have to double up if we need to? Do we have enough food in case theres a weather event?' You know just making sure the facilities are ready," Whitaker said.

Whitaker says in an emergency, the mission's chapel can hold 100 extra beds.

The shelter doesn't turn anyone away needing a place to lay down for the night.

Whitaker says his team is ready to go out and take people to some place warm.

“Getting out to seeing those people in the camps is very important to us,” Whitaker said. “Getting out to make sure that they have the heads up that 'hey do you know there's a storm front coming? You got everything you need?' Or hey maybe you might want to think about coming in with us tonight it doesn't look like you have what you need..."

Those teams were checking on homeless camps around Tulsa Saturday night.

Donations also are coming in for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday are coming in by the trunk load.

The turkeys will feed hundreds of families in two weeks.

“It dipped down to like 20 degrees, really cold a couple of days ago,” Matt Wagoner said. “I just feel bad for them... they have to be out in this weather."

“Getting out to seeing those people in the camps is very important to us,” Whitaker said. “Getting out to make sure that they have the heads up that 'hey do you know there's a storm front coming? You got everything you need?' Or hey maybe you might want to think about coming in with us tonight it doesn't look like you have what you need..."

Those teams will be checking on homeless camps around Tulsa tonight.