City reiterates cold-weather shelter routing: call 349-2121 to reach Compassion Coalition via TPD dispatch

At the council's request for an update on 311 and cold-weather assistance, Porsche (staff) said the supports discussed previously remain in place. She instructed that anyone needing shelter information can call Tuscaloosa Police Department dispatch at 349-2121 to be transferred to the Compassion Coalition, which coordinates shelter placement; staff also said blue emergency phones can be used to reach help and that blankets and Red Cross shelter support remain available for donations and distribution.

Porsche described a recent spike in calls during the cold spell that has since started to level off. She said staff will continue outreach and coordination with shelters and nonprofit partners and invited follow-up questions after the meeting about the Compassion Coalition's work.

The transcript records the phone number and routing instructions explicitly; it does not provide details on shelter capacity, exact shelter locations or intake criteria in this excerpt.