Warming center turns into overnight shelter for homeless during deadly cold temperatures 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The frigid temperatures shed a light on one of the most vulnerable group of people who have to seek shelter from the cold. Organizations have told CBS 58 there aren't enough spots in overnight shelters in the Milwaukee area. Now, one organization is stepping up to help. 

"If you don't got a warm place to stay, might as well be dead," said Gator. 

Gator has been homeless for about two years. He says he's braved the cold before but temps like these are deadly and says he's lucky to have found a heaven like the Repairers of the Breach -- a non-profit that helps the homeless. 

"I've been here every night, Monday through Sunday," Gator said. 

"We've been averaging about 40 a night and so we see about 100 during the day," said Pastor James West, executive director of Repairers of the Breach. 

Pastor James West, executive director of Repairers of the Breach, says they turn their warming centers into resting shelters at night, calling them warming rooms. They've been doing so since before December. 

"This year winter came early and so here we are in the middle of November...usually most warm rooms open in December because that’s what they were planning to do, but we kind of had to make it an emergency plan together and open earlier because the cold weather came," said West. 

The pastor says although Milwaukee was considered to have the lowest population of homeless per capita. It's still a struggle for those folks to find overnight shelters which is why it's important for organizations like his step up and help. 

"In the meantime... there's places, organizations like ours who just step up and want to do whatever they can to at least save their lives," said West.  

For information on places to stay warm during the winter, including emergency shelter options that are available year-round, dial 211. More information can be found HERE.