BATON ROUGE - As freezing temperatures approach the Capital Area, community organizations are stepping up to make sure those most vulnerable have a warm place to go.

With winter weather pushing temperatures into the teens, local leaders are urging residents without reliable heat to seek shelter and take precautions against the dangerously cold conditions.

Across East Baton Rouge Parish, the library system has opened several branches as designated warming centers. The Main Library on Goodwood Boulevard is prepared to remain open if necessary, even in the event of closures elsewhere.

“The main library does have a generator, and in the event of a closure, we will be open here to act as a warming station,” said Brandon Reilly with the East Baton Rouge Parish Library. “Members of the constable staff will also be here. We’ve already received donations from the American Red Cross.”

Those donations will help provide immediate relief to people seeking warmth from the cold.

“They dropped off some water, snacks,  just basically food to see people through,” Reilly said.

Library staff say they are also ready to help people who may need longer-term shelter by connecting them with additional resources in the community.

“We would also help communicate and help coordinate, finding people who do need a place to stay, other places that they can go to,” Reilly said.

One of those options is the Salvation Army, which is opening its shelter 24 hours a day while severe weather conditions persist.

“They can stay as long as it’s below 40 degrees,” said Victoria Godwin with the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army shelter is open exclusively to homeless men and has capacity for up to 60 people. While guests are there, staff and volunteers are providing meals and essential supplies.

“We’ll give them breakfast, lunch, dinner,” Godwin said. “We get donations of socks and things like that, and we’ll be handing those out because, of course, they’re all wet now.”

Officials warn that prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures can quickly become life-threatening.

“It’s very easy for them, in this type of weather, in the 22s and 19s, to freeze,” Godwin said.

A full list of shelters and warming centers can be found here.