AURORA | For Aurora Warms the night, their new home at 1554 Elmira St. offers some definite perks.

For one, it’s bigger so fewer clients will have to wait outside on the bitter cold days when the organization doles out motel vouchers to the area’s homeless on winter’s coldest days.

But most importantly for Executive Director Sarah Hamilton, the new home is still just a short walk from East Colfax Avenue and easily accessible to the people who need AWTN’s help.

“No. 1, we are still right in the heart of where our clients are located at,” she said.

AWTN moved to their new digs from their old home at 1555 Dayton ST. in May.

Hamilton said the date of the move was strategic because it was after the always-busy winter months, but just before the organization’s summer efforts, including giving the area’s homeless somewhere cool to wait out the heat, really kicked off.

“Between winter and summer we have about a month in May where we can catch our breath,” she said.

Last year, AWTN provided 2,520 nights of shelter to 572 people, including 80 children. Since 2006, the group has provided more than 15,000 nights of shelter.

The number of vouchers issued last year was down from 2012, but Hamilton said she expects a busy year this winter. She pointed to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast that said Colorado is due for its coldest winter since 1997.

And, Hamilton said, the population AWTN serves sees more children that the public might
expect.

According to the Colorado Coalition on the Homeless’ annual “point in time” survey of the state’s homeless population, Aurora’s homeless are more likely to have children than others around the state. Last year, 43 percent of the homeless were parents, compared to 31 percent around the state.

While the group’s primary mission is still helping the homeless stay out of the cold, Hamilton said they’ve also expanded their services to include a health clinic, job coaching and resume assistance, HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, food stamp assistance and counseling services. Those services are all part of partnerships with various agencies around town, including Metro Community Provider Network, Tri-County Health, Aurora Mental Health, Hunger Free Colorado and the Department of Veterans Affairs. They also refer every client to the Program to Assist in the Transition out of Homelessness, PATH, a program run through Aurora Mental Health.

Last year, the group partnered with Comitis Crisis Center to provide a van to drive people from the group’s headquarters to their motel.