The West Side Community Services, 161 Vermont St., is the West Side’s warming center for the 2024 winter season. Each city district is allocated a warming center by the City of Buffalo, as listed on the 2024-2025 Winter Plan. Previously Asarese-Matters Community Center was listed as a warming center for the West Side, it has been replaced by the Northwest Buffalo Community Center, 155 Lawn Ave. Director of Operations for West Side Community Services, Mary Schaefer, says it's important to have resources, such as generator-provided heat, blankets, food and water. “Having a warming shelter within each city district is an important step toward accessibility of resources during intense winter storms. As we know from the Christmas blizzard of 2022, energy failures can put our neighbors in dire situations in their own homes." By Tofsekul Ahmed