White Flag
A warm place for everyone
Those who are homeless or heatless can seek shelter from the cold through our community White Flag program.
White Flag guarantees individuals a warm place to stay even when our shelters are at capacity. The city and county work together with our two largest homeless shelters, Evansville Rescue Mission and United Caring Services, to offer this program each winter.
Warming Center Information
Click on each tab for information on Evansville’s White Flag warming centers. During severe conditions, other locations may become available.
Evansville Rescue Mission initiates its White Flag program when the wind chill is 35 degrees or below. The night shelter is only available to men at this time, but anyone can seek shelter during daytime hours.
- Nightly check-in for White Flag is at 8:00 p.m.
- Morning check-out for White Flag is at 6:00 a.m.
- During the day, ERM’s atrium is open to anyone from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Anyone is welcome to daily breakfast, lunch and dinner year-round.
- Overnight guests during White Flag must be male, at least 18 years old and able to pass a breathalyzer test.
- Individuals with minor violations of ERM policies are welcome during White Flag, but will be asked to leave if a rule is broken.
- Individuals listed on the sex offender registry or permanently banned from the facility are not eligible.
United Caring Services, located at 324 NW 6th Street, initiates its White Flag program when the temperature’s going to be 40 degrees or below for three or more hours. During White Flag, UCS provides both day and night shelter to all sexes and ages.
- Nightly check-in for White Flag is at 8:00 p.m.
- Morning check-out for White Flag is at 7:00 a.m.
- During the day, anyone is welcome to seek shelter in UCS’s day shelter.
- Anyone is welcome to access showers and laundry.
- Anyone is welcome to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner year-round.
- Guests who are currently barred from UCS at the time will be allowed in.
- The use of alcohol or drugs anywhere on the property will not be tolerated.
The C.K. Newsome Center, located at 100 E Walnut Street in downtown Evansville, always serves as a warming or cooling center during its normal operating hours. Guests will be subject to the rules of conduct of the center while in attendance. CK Newsome is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Evansville-Vanderburgh Public Library’s Central branch, located at 200 SE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard in downtown Evansville, always serves as a warming or cooling center during its normal operating hours. Other branches may be designated warming centers during major winter storms.
- Guests must follow the EVPL Code of Conduct.
- Anyone who has been suspended from using the library are not eligible.
- Hours are 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Friday; 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturday; and 1:00-5:00 p.m. Sunday. Hours may change during winter storms.
How to help with White Flag
When temperatures drop, the need for extra supplies rises. The Evansville Rescue Mission and United Caring Services typically need bottled water, sleeping cots and mats (gym mats, yoga mats, etc), blankets and more. Specific needs likely will be requested through the media and each organization’s social media. You can help by directly donating these items or by making monetary donations to these organizations to purchase the needed supplies.
