VALRICO, Fla. — When the temperature dips below 40 degrees overnight in Hillsborough County, Pastor Dr. Reba Haley converts her church sanctuary into a shelter.

Mission of Hope in Valrico serves as one of a handful of volunteer-run cold weather shelters in the county. Haley has been working as a partner with Hillsborough County since 2019, to provide a warm place for people who are homeless or have inadequate heat to stay.

For four nights in a row this week temperatures dipped below the threshold, activating the county’s cold weather shelter program. So each night, Haley opened her doors from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Upon check in, each person signs a welcome sheet and signs up to use the shower should they wish to do so. Haley then serves dinner to the group before setting up cots for sleeping.

Before leaving in the morning, she serves breakfast and gives them each a backpack full of supplies and a blanket.

The shelter has strict rules, such as no violence, substance use or illicit activity. Haley stays awake all night to monitor the guests and make sure everyone is safe. While she has a team of volunteers who assist at the church during the day, she says many of her team members have jobs and can’t stay the night.

“I stay up with them and make sure everything is good,” she explained.

Haley says she does it because she understands what it’s like to be in a tough situation.

“I was homeless... I slept in my car. I came out of an unfortunate bad marriage,” she explained.

In 1987 Haley said she and her young son left her abusive partner. When she left, she had no money and nowhere to stay so the two ended up sleeping in her car and in different shelters.

She says what helped her was the people she met along the way who offered her both resources and compassion.

“I know what it means to live in a shelter… and I know what it means for a shelter to give you compassion and love and empathy,” she said.

Haley went on to find a job, get her bachelor’s degree, then her master’s degree, and finally, a PHD. She now works as an addiction therapist and pastoral counselor.

She says that’s why her church offers services like the cold weather shelter. They also have a pantry, shower and washing machine so those in need can wash their clothes. She says it’s the small things like that, that mean the world to someone struggling.

“You know everybody’s not on drugs,” she said. “It’s people that are really hurting, so it’s about sharing that love and caring and that it’s possible for you to have hope, it’s possible for you.”

Throughout each of the cold nights from Jan. 6 to Jan. 9, the number of attendees grew each night. On Thursday night, the shelter hit max capacity at 20 guests.

The county is prepared to activate the cold weather shelter program next week, should temperatures drop into the 30s overnight.