GRANITE CITY – Granite City has officially opened its own Overnight Warming Location.
The OWL is located at Mt. Zion Church at 2827 Mockingbird Lane in Granite City. Unhoused community members, people with insufficient heating, or anyone who needs a warm place to sleep can utilize the OWL when overnight temperatures are forecasted to drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The OWLs are asking for help stocking the new location.
“Granite City has joined the OWLs and we need volunteers and supplies,” the OWLs said in a Facebook post. “Pastor Phil and Mt. Zion Church launched the Granite City OWL last week. Since then, a small group of volunteers has been there almost every night to offer sanctuary to their neighbors. If we want to keep this going, we need 40 new volunteers, especially overnight monitors who can cover three-hour shifts on rotating teams.”
The local OWLs now have three locations — Deliverance Temple in Alton, First Baptist Church in Edwardsville, and Mt. Zion Church in Granite City — operated by one team.
While many people have contributed to the Granite City OWL’s Amazon wish list, they are still seeking volunteers so they can sustain the new OWL, especially as temperatures are forecasted to stay low in the coming weeks. To sign up as a volunteer at the Granite City OWL, click here.
“We have volunteers from the church and community who are bringing food and clothing,” said Mt. Zion Church. “God has opened the door and is providing. Thank you all for your prayers and support.”
The Granite City OWL will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. The Alton and Edwardsville OWLs will be open on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Follow the official Overnight Warming Locations Facebook page for updates.
Community members are also invited to The Old Baker Beer Co. in Alton on Jan. 16, 2025, for their Drink for a Cause initiative, which will donate a portion of proceeds to the OWLs.
