Cold Outside, Warm Inside: HARTS Makes the Difference

When winter winds cut through Warren County, most families turn up the heat and settle in for the night.

But for some, there is no heat. No locked door. No warm bed.

That’s where Hope and Rest Temporary Shelter, better known as HARTS, steps in.

This winter has been one of the coldest and snowiest in recent memory. For the first time since opening in 2018, HARTS was forced to operate 24 hours a day for nearly two straight weeks to keep people safe.

“We were open for 12 days, 24 hours in a row,” said Executive Director Michelle Smeltzer during a recent interview at the Royal Examiner studio. “We’ve never had to do that before.”

The extended hours meant higher costs and stretched staff. But closing wasn’t an option.

“When it’s that cold, you don’t close the doors,” Smeltzer said.

HARTS operates as a low-barrier winter shelter for adults 18 and older, offering a safe place to sleep from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. The shelter also accepts pets, because, for many guests, a dog or cat may be the only family they have left.

Nichole Johns, who works closely with the shelter, said the range of people served often surprises the community.

“We serve people from 18 to 80, basically,” Johns said. “We have really young people there, and then we have retirement-age people there.”

Some guests are working but can’t keep up with rising housing costs. Others are one unexpected bill away from losing everything.

Despite the need, HARTS receives no direct government funding.

“I’ve had people ask, ‘Don’t you receive county funding? DSS funding?’ Smeltzer said. “No. We don’t get any funding like that. It’s all donations.”

For 16 weeks each winter, churches, civic groups, and families provide hot meals every single night.

“Every single night there is a church, an organization, or an individual family bringing a full dinner,” Johns said. “It’s amazing the amount of food that comes through there.”

Now HARTS is asking the community to step into those shoes, even if just for a mile.

On Saturday, February 28, the organization will host its second annual Coldest Night of the Year walk in Front Royal. Registration begins at 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 14 West 1st Street. Walkers can choose a one-mile or three-mile route before returning for a warm meal sponsored by On Cue Sports Bar & Grill.

“It’s just a little stroll to get a taste of what it feels like to be out in the cold,” Johns said.

The event is part of an international movement, but every dollar raised in Front Royal stays in Warren County.

This year’s goal is $50,000, including $10,000 in sponsorships. With 11 days remaining, more than 100 walkers across 20 teams have already raised over $20,000.

ClearHorizon Forensic & Counseling Group is the lead sponsor. Route sponsors include Sysco Northeast RDC, Luck Stone, and Buckton Presbyterian Church. Photos by Dok will document the evening, and First Baptist Church is donating its space.

HARTS is still seeking a $1,000 rest stop sponsor and additional walkers willing to fundraise. Participants who raise $150, or $75 for youth, will receive a Coldest Night knit beanie as a thank-you.

More importantly, they’ll be helping someone sleep safely.

Current shelter needs include canned soups, tuna and chicken packets, peanut butter, crackers, Vienna sausages, Chef Boyardee meals, and frozen breakfast sandwiches. Financial donations help cover utilities, staffing, and emergency supplies, especially during extreme weather events like this year’s cold snap.

“Every year we wonder how we’ll make it,” Smeltzer said. “And every year our community shows up.”

The Coldest Night of the Year walk is family-friendly. Children under 12 must walk with a parent or guardian. While pets are not permitted at the event, trained service animals are welcome.

For those unable to attend in person, organizers encourage residents to register, donate, or walk off-site with friends and family.

Because when the temperature drops in Warren County, someone is counting on HARTS to keep the door open.

“Everyone deserves a safe place to lay their head at night,” Smeltzer said.

Registration and donation information is available at hartsofwarren.org.