As temperatures grow colder, meals and rooms are heated up for those needing it most in Butler County.

Organizations, including the Winter Relief Center Program, Light of Life Community Outreach and Grapevine Center, offer food and shelter to Butler’s homeless, mentally ill and drug and alcohol afflicted during the winter.

The privately funded Winter Relief Center Program, under the umbrella of Grace Youth and Family Foundation, is back for its sixth year, despite getting a late start in preparation.

Bill Halle, founder and CEO of the program, said that he was informed by Butler County Human Services that a year-round homeless shelter was to be opened, so the foundation shifted its focus to homeless youth and veterans.

However, with no such shelter being opened, the decision was made to keep the program open. Halle said he didn’t find out about the change in plans regarding the year-round shelter until a few weeks before the program’s usual opening date, Nov. 1.

“This significantly impacted every aspect of our preparation and costs of operating, and we are in fact still playing catch-up with need of funding and volunteers,” he said. “(We) have not been able to hire additional staff.”

The program still was able to open on Nov. 1 at 100 Center Ave. It is open from 8:30 p.m. to 8 a.m., seven days per week. It operates on two floors, with separate sleeping areas for men, women and families.

There also is a kitchen and cafe area, and a storage and preparation area for food and beverages. Participants are provided a hot meal in the evening and breakfast in the morning.

Halle said extensive preparation goes into maintaining the program.

“There is continued daily set up, tear down, and specific cleaning requirements of these areas to operate other programs during different hours in the same space,” he said.

Additionally, an experienced staff is needed to provide care for the program’s occupants. Staff members provide a safety assessment to ensure participants are safe for themselves and others, a mental health and a physical health assessment, and a criminal background check.

The program also accepts referrals from Catholic Charities.

“We receive people who are chronically homeless, temporary travelers passing through the area, people awaiting other mental health and/or drug and alcohol treatment, people reentering our communities from prison, people experiencing financial hardship, and those who have had sudden changes in family and employment dynamics,” Halle said.

However, fewer people are seeking shelter with the program than last year.

As of Dec. 29, 65 individuals had been served by the Winter Relief Center Program, down from 73 as of Dec. 29, 2015.

Halle attributed the slight decrease to the mild winter and Butler’s prevalent drug and alcohol problem.

Once 8 a.m. comes, the participants are referred to Light of Life Community Outreach at North Street Christian Church, which is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

Pastor Bob Huber, who works at the privately funded Outreach, described it as a “Christian drop-in center.” There is a Bible study at 11:30 a.m., with various pastors speaking, and lunch at noon.

Various meals, including spaghetti with meatballs and fish sandwiches, are served.

Curt Weichey, who, along with his wife, Pam, helps run the outreach, credited the program’s volunteers, and said the program’s numbers are “growing all the time.”

“We can (have) as many as 120 or more,” he said. “We see new people every single day, which is really, really amazing.”

Grapevine Center is another haven during the winter months. It’s open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., seven days per week, including holidays.

Grapevine was previously open until 8 p.m., but that was changed due to staffing issues.

Food is available through the week and a meal is served on Sundays. Grapevine also provides a place for people to shower.

Vickie Beachem, manager of the drop-in center at Grapevine, said a primary goal is that everyone is well nourished.

“Sometimes people come in that really haven’t eaten, and it’s apparent to us or they’ll tell us, and we’ll make sure that nobody goes home hungry,” she said.

Grapevine’s target population is anyone with drug and alcohol issues, as well as mental health issues.

“Do we ask them at the door, ‘Do you have a drug and alcohol or mental health issue?’ Of course not,” Beachem said. “And we probably have people that drop in that really don’t show or have signs of a mental illness. Are we going to turn them away? Absolutely not.”

Grapevine receives food donations from various organizations, including the Center for Community Resources.

“If they have some kind of gathering they will bring their things to us,” Beachem said. “And our folks definitely enjoy it.”