Camp Friedenswald — situated on 100 acres in southeast Cass County — has responded to Cass County’s need for emergency homeless shelter space.

Now, when severe weather forces more homeless individuals and families to seek shelter, Camp Friedenswald’s facilities will be used when other shelters are full, according to a press release from Ruth Andrews of the Cass County Human Services Coordinating Council.

Shelter placements will be made through the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency. During normal business hours, agency staff can be reached at (269) 925-9077; emergency after-hour shelter requests can be made by calling (269) 228-1141.

Camp Friedenswald, supported by the Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA, began operating in 1951.

The Cass Housing Contiuum of Care anticipates more need this winter for emergency shelter, according to the press release. Dowagiac Police Chief Tom Atkinson’s urging local churches, businesses and agencies to allow their sites to be “warming stations” where homeless people can use restrooms and make phone calls.

For more information about Cass County’s emergency shelter network, call Ruth Andrews at (269) 445-0269.