City of Fargo opens winter warming operations
Operations began on Monday, ahead of the season’s first projected storm
Fargo Cass Public Health opened the 2025-2026 winter warming operation on Monday, Nov. 24, ahead of the season’s first expected winter storm, according to a city of Fargo press release.
The winter warming site is at the current Downtown Engagement Center, 222 Fourth St. N, Fargo. The warming station will operate on the main level of the DEC from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. and will be able to accommodate 50 to 55 people.
Individuals 18 and older who have no other overnight shelter options are eligible for winter warming. During the intake process at the DEC, staff will work to connect individuals needing access to a winter warming overnight option with appropriate and available shelter beds. Any individuals not able to be connected with an alternate shelter space may be considered for winter warming.
According to the press release, winter warming is not intended to meet all the needs of unhoused individuals in the community, as both resources and capacity are limited. Throughout the operation, staff will continue engagement activities with guests to assist with referrals to housing, medical, behavioral health and other needs.
The City of Fargo and FCPH are currently in the process of relocating DEC services to a new space at 2001 1st Avenue North in Fargo. Upon completion of initial renovations at that location, Winter Warming will transition to that space. The transition date has not yet been determined.
The 2024-2025 winter warming operation took place at 1230 25th St. S, on the far west side of the main Fargo Cass Public Health building. According to the city’s press release, throughout the 2024-2025 operation, there were 8,553 total encounters with an average of 44 individuals served each night. There were 668 unique individuals served
At Micah’s Mission in Moorhead, the shelter is routinely at capacity year-round. The city of Fargo’s winter warming operation is a critical stopgap that ensures community members experiencing homelessness do not have to sleep outside in the winter, which can be deadly.