When most people are sleeping, dry and warm in their homes, others around the Denver metro area are fighting the freezing winter temperatures outdoors, trying to survive night after night on the streets.

In general, there is a lack of overnight shelter in Arapahoe County, a problem that persists as the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative’s yearly statistics continue to paint a picture of increasing homelessness in the area.

Last year, leaders in Englewood, Littleton and Sheridan approved the Tri-Cities Homeless Action Plan, designed to be carried out over the next three years.

Among the recommendations in the plan is to create “a central navigation center” — a dedicated space to help people experiencing homelessness learn about services and apply for programs, such as available housing services, the plan says.

It could take years before the cities build the proposed center. In the meantime, people without homes in the south metro area will continue to rely on a patchwork of resources.

Here is a list of many of the resources in the Englewood, Littleton and Centennial areas for people experiencing homelessness and for others who are living on low incomes. The list includes some services in nearby areas outside Arapahoe County.

Some information in this list comes from a brochure by the Cities of Englewood, Littleton and Sheridan. Contact the organizations below for current hours.

To connect with further resources

• AllHealth Network: Support for mental health and substance-abuse (addiction) challenges, along with case managers who can assist with finding housing and other resources. The program offers 24/7 walk-in crisis services. No one will be denied access to services due to an inability to pay, according to AllHealth’s website. The center is located at 6509 S. Santa Fe Drive in Littleton. For more information, call 303-730-8858 or visit the AllHealth website.

• Bayaud Enterprises: Provides employment assistance, including for people with disabilities and people struggling with homelessness. The program is open between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Friday hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center is located at 333 W. Bayaud Ave. in Denver. For more information, call 303-830-6885, email elsa.erickson@bayaudenterprises.org or see the Bayaud Enterprises website.

• Colorado PEAK: A program to apply for or manage medical, food, cash or other State of Colorado benefits, such as Colorado’s Medicaid program or the Child Health Plan Plus. To apply online, visit the website. To apply in person, visit 14980 E. Alameda Drive in Aurora or 1690 W. Littleton Blvd. in Littleton. Residents can also call 303-636-1130.

• Giving Heart Englewood: A drop-in resource center that provides ID vouchers, a place where those without an address can receive mail, use a computer lab, get clothing and hygiene items, and hot lunches. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. It's located at 4358 S. Broadway in Englewood. For information, call 720-460-0953, or visit the Giving Heart website.

• Movement 5280: Provides a “family of support” to homeless youth who have aged out of foster care, along with other at-risk young people lacking guidance as they transition into adulthood. The program offers hot meals, clothing, showers, personal lockers to store important papers, a safe place to rest, assistance with IDs and birth certificates, and computers for job searches and appointments. It serves as a distribution site for hotel vouchers for HAAT Force. Its food pantry, Englewood’s Table, is located at 4101 S. Lincoln St. at the Mosaic Church parking lot with hours from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Thursdays. For information, call 303-870-3774, email thayhurst@movement5280.org or see Movement 5280's website here.

For shelter

• HAAT Force (Homelessness Awareness and Action Task Force south metro): Provides severe-weather motel vouchers to the following groups of people experiencing homelessness: families with children 18 and under, people with physical disabilities, people with pets or service animals, pregnant women, people recently released from the hospital in need of a place to recover, and vulnerable older adults. It defines severe weather as 32 degrees and lower and wet, or 20 degrees and lower. HAAT Force's office is located at Giving Heart, 4358 S. Broadway in Englewood. For information, call 720-483-7864, email info@haatforce.org or see the website.

• Comitis Crisis Center: Offers emergency adult shelter, emergency family shelter, transitional family shelter, and transitional shelter for veterans and their families, meals and other services. The crisis center also provides programs to support individuals in recovery from trauma, mental health and substance use challenges. The center is located at 2178 N. Victor St. in Aurora. For information, call 720-859-7100.

• Aurora Day Resource Center: Offers 24/7 shelter during certain times of the winter season. For more information, call 303-343-7808. During cold weather, the shelter is on a first-come, first-served basis. No families will be turned away. The center is located at 13387 E. 19th Place in Aurora.

• Family Tree: The organization offers emergency shelter, an information help line, homeless-prevention services, education and employment services, and various other resources. Family Tree is located at 3805 N. Marshall St. in Wheat Ridge. For information, call 303-467-2604, email homelessness@thefamilytree.org for housing inquiries, or visit Family Tree's website.

• Family Promise of Greater Denver: Provides shelter and other supportive services to families. Family Promise is located at 419 N. Lipan St. in Denver. For information, call 303-675-0713, email hello@familypromiseofgreaterdenver.org or see the website.

• Denver Rescue Mission: Offering shelter, meals and other services at 1130 Park Avenue West in Denver. The men’s location is at 4600 E. 48th Ave. in Denver. For information, call 303-295-1566 or visit the website.

For food

• Wellspring Church: Offers a food pantry and medical clinic program, providing free food and certain types of health care. The Well Food Pantry operates from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. The medical program, Wellness At The Well, runs from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of each month. The church is located at 3885 S. Broadway in Englewood. For more information, call 303-789-2878, email mike@wellspringcolorado.com or see Wellspring's website.

• Break Bread: Provides free, hot to-go meals each week from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturdays at Littleton United Methodist Church, located at 5894 S. Datura St. in Littleton. Visitors should go to the south-facing entrance on Sheppard Avenue. For information, call 303-794-6379. For those running low on basic supplies, email jengquist@break-bread.org. The Break Bread website is here.

• Cafe 180: For those who can’t pay, this restaurant provides meals in exchange for volunteer work. Volunteers help chop vegetables, wash dishes and make salads. Takeout for curbside pickup is also available.Cafe 180 is located at 3315 S. Broadway in Englewood. For information, call 720-289-0799, email info@cafe180.org, or visit Cafe 180's website.

• GraceFull Cafe: GraceFull provides food to all guests whether or not they can pay for their meal between 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The cafe is located at 5610 S. Curtice St. in Littleton. For information, call 720-900-5610, or visit the cafe's website.

• St. Paul Presbyterian Church: Offers a food pantry, with drive-up curbside pickup, 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays at 18901 E. Hampden Ave. in Aurora. For information, call 303-693-3434, email office@stppc.org, or visit the church's website.

• The Salvation Army Centennial Corps: Offers a drive-thru food box service two days a week. Food pantry hours are 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Wednesdays at 3900 E. Arapahoe Road in west Centennial. For information, call 303-779-9662, email ratupoasa.vesikula@usw.salvationarmy.org, or visit the website.

Rent, food, other financial assistance, other resources

• Arapahoe County rent and mortgage assistance: For rent, mortgage and utility assistance, visit the county's webpage, call 303-738-7891 or email housingassistance@arapahoegov.com. You can also pick up or drop off an application at 1690 W. Littleton Blvd. at suite 300 on the third floor. For information on the housing choice voucher program (commonly referred to as “Section 8”) or homelessness programs, call 303-864-7852.

• Integrated Family Community Services (IFCS): IFCS provides no-cost groceries, rental assistance, utility bill payment assistance, no-cost recreation center vouchers, school-supply support, seasonal holiday meals and gift assistance, and it can help connect those in need with help to cover health care and prescription costs. Program hours are between 8 a.m. and noon and 1 and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The program is located at 3370 S. Irving St. in the Sheridan area. For information, call 303-789-0501, or visit the IFCS website here.

• All Souls Catholic Church: The food pantry is open from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Volunteers of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul work with local organizations to help people with emergency assistance such as rent, utilities and prescriptions. Those in need should contact the church by phone at 303-789-0007. The church is located at 4950 S. Logan St. in Englewood. For more information, email allsouls@allsoulscatholic.org or see the website here.

For more resources

See the Aurora Homeless Services Resource Guide here or contact homelessness@auroragov.org or call 303-739-7000.