STORY: The Salvation Army in Arlington, Texas, prepared cots on Friday (January 23) to shelter some of the city's homeless population as a severe winter storm sweeps across much of the United States.

The Christian charitable organization will provide overnight beds and meals for people seeking refuge from the cold, with some facilities offering continuous 24‑hour warmth. Public libraries and recreation centers also will serve as daytime warming locations during their regular operating hours, city officials said.

Lieutenant Jeremy Warf, a corps officer at the Arlington Salvation Army Corps Community Center, said homeless people are particularly vulnerable to freezing temperatures.

"For our unhoused neighbors, cold weather is a really big deal," Warf said. "So we're opening up our cold weather shelter to invite them in to get them warm and also in a safe spot, a safe location to provide a meal for them and also emotional and spiritual care."

The preparations come as a massive storm is forecast to disrupt travel, trigger power outages and bring frigid temperatures to an estimated 150 million Americans from Friday into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Heavy snow and freezing rain are expected from the Central Plains to the East Coast, with up to 20 inches (50.8 cm) possible in the Appalachians and West Virginia mountains. Officials warn that icy conditions could create hazardous roads and cause outages as ice‑laden branches fall onto power lines.

Arlington authorities urged residents to monitor local updates and use the warming centers as needed as temperatures plunge.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: ARLINGTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 23, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. LIEUTENANT JEREMY WARF, CORPS OFFICER AT THE ARLINGTON, TEXAS, SALVATION ARMY CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER, SETTING UP A COT ON A SPORTS COURT

2. VARIOUS OF COTS WITH BED LINEN ON TOP

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIEUTENANT JEREMY WARF, CORPS OFFICER AT THE ARLINGTON, TEXAS, SALVATION ARMY CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER, SAYING:

"In preparation for the inclement weather that's going to be affecting our area, the Salvation Army is opening up a cold weather shelter at five locations across Dallas-Fort Worth. Here in the city of Arlington, we currently have about 75 people that are already staying in our shelter but with the cold weather we expect about 30 of our unhoused friends to also be with us."

4. COTS BEING LAID OUT

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIEUTENANT JEREMY WARF, CORPS OFFICER AT THE ARLINGTON, TEXAS, SALVATION ARMY CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER, SAYING:

"For our unhoused neighbors, cold weather is a really big deal. Obviously, if cold weather can have a multitude of problems, frostbite, hypothermia, respiratory infections, we certainly don't want any of our un-housed neighbors to experience that. And so we're opening up our cold weather shelter to invite them in to get them warm and also in a safe spot, a safe location to provide a meal for them and also emotional and spiritual care."

6. WARF WALKING ACROSS CORRIDOR AND CARRYING A COT BACK INTO HALL

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIEUTENANT JEREMY WARF, CORPS OFFICER AT THE ARLINGTON, TEXAS, SALVATION ARMY CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER, SAYING:

"On average, we expect to see about a 20% increase for those locations, which is about a $7,000 per day additional cost with food, with utilities, with personnel. So we could really use the support of the public -- donors, we call them, the army behind the Salvation Army -- to help us take care of our neighbors in need."

8. SIGN READING (English): 'THE SALVATION ARMY'

9. EXTERIOR OF COMMUNITY CENTER