The winter of 2013-2014 was a particularly harsh and bitter one, even for Michigan. A polar vortex swept in, bringing relentless snow and freezing temperatures that stuck around for weeks. It wasn’t just cold—it was dangerously cold. Unfortunately, at the same time, the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC) was facing a budget shortfall. 

In order to accommodate this shortfall, SAWC shortened its operating hours and lowered costs by lowering the “Weather Amnesty” temperature. This refers to the specific temperature at which homeless shelters or other organizations will open their doors to anyone, allowing people to seek temporary refuge from extreme weather conditions. Starting at 32°F, the threshold was dropped all the way down to 10°F. That meant during the day, people could only stay inside the Delonis Shelter if the temperature outside dropped to 10 degrees or lower. For many, that was simply too little, too late.

 Even prior to this reality, a local group of community organizers called "Imagine" had been working tirelessly, pushing the city to turn an empty building into a drop-in day shelter and art center. It seemed like a long shot, but with the brutal cold, their vision became all the more urgent.

Meanwhile, at First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, a minister named Lindsay Conrad took bold action of her own. She decided to let the men from the Men’s Rotating Church Shelter stay at the church during the day—a simple, humane gesture in response to the unbearable weather. Guests from Mercy House, a local house of hospitality assisted in this effort by bringing sandwiches, coordinating a bingo game, and being on hand to deal with any conflicts that might arise. 

The combination of grassroots organizing and direct action by community organizers and church leaders planted the seeds for what would become the Daytime Warming Center (DWC).

By January 2014, things were coming together. Peggy Lynch and Sheri Wander, both long-time advocates for the unhoused community, were meeting with Father Dan Ream, a priest at St. Mary’s Student Parish. Father Dan, known for his work with MISSION (Michigan Itinerant Shelter System-Interdependent Out of Necessity), asked them plainly: “What can St. Mary’s do to help save lives?” The two of them, seeing the successful activism already being done by 1st Presbyterian, suggested opening the church up as another day shelter location. And, in that moment, surprising everyone there, and maybe even Father Dan himself, he simply said, 

“Yes.”

That’s how the DWC began—out of necessity, courage, and the willingness to say "yes" when it mattered most.

That first year was a whirlwind. The DWC ran for about 6 weeks, with an entirely volunteer team figuring out 1 week at a time just how it was all going to work. Many of those volunteers were members of the homeless community themselves, taking ownership and stewarding the space out of respect and appreciation. The people of Mercy House, a Hospitality House in Ann Arbor, pulled the community together to cook meals, make sandwiches, and bring them to St. Mary’s. It was chaotic, it was messy, but it worked—because it had to. The space was democratically governed from the start, with guests and volunteers coming together in community meetings to address challenges head-on.

By the end of that first season, Father Dan was all in. He agreed to host the DWC again the next winter and to encourage other faith communities to join the effort , but on one condition: they needed to hire a staff person to act as the link between the church and the community. This would ensure smoother coordination and keep the democratic spirit alive.

The next winter, the DWC ran from January to mid-March, this time with one staff member and just one large bag of essentials. Fast forward to today, and the DWC has grown exponentially. We now have nine staff members and enough supplies to fill 35 plastic totes, running two locations in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti from mid-November through the end of March.

The DWC has always been a space built by and for the community, and it shows. Over the years, a host of congregations have opened their doors in Ann Arbor, including St. Mary’s Student Parish, First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor, First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor, Journey of Faith Christian Church, Zion Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran, Ann Arbor Friend’s Meeting and Lord of Light Lutheran Church. So many others have pitched in—whether by providing food, coffee, volunteers, or financial support.

In Ypsilanti, the Freight House has been home to the DWC for the past three years, thanks to the support of the City of Ypsilanti. In 2022-2023, the Shelter Association partnered with the DWC staffing collective to manage the Ypsi site as a democratically run space, staying true to the values that have guided us since the beginning.

The DWC has grown and evolved, but at its heart, it remains a place where community members come together to lift each other up. Whether it's offering a warm meal, a space to rest, or just a smile, the DWC is more than just a shelter—it's a home.