EAST ST. LOUIS — Due to continuing cold temperatures, Lessie Bates Neighborhood House is keeping the doors to the Continuuum of Life Center open to the homeless.

The building is located at the corner of 37th Street at Bunkum.

Bill Kreeb, executive director of the Lessie Bates Neighborhood House, said Lessie Bates has been opening the building since Sunday because of the extremely cold weather.

"The Continuum of Life Center is usually used to provide day services for the homeless. Since we knew temperatures were going to be dropping, we got together with St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Urban Programs and we decided to provide a 24-hour service until the weather got a little bit better," Kreeb said.

"We have a street ministry and St. Vincent de Paul goes out with a soup bus every day. Catholic Urban Programs provides hotels for some, but when the number gets above 10 people, we feel it is more cost effective to open the center and provide the 24 hour services to the people in the community who are homeless for whatever reasons," Kreeb said

At least 20 people have been showing up each night, he said.