New Brunswick Sets Record for Code Blue Openings

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (March 2, 2026) - A bone-chilled New Brunswick hit a record-breaking milestone last week as the city's Code Blue warming center at 6 Kirkpatrick St. opened for the 84th time this season.

The opening officially surpassed last year's total of 83 nights, marking it the highest number of emergency activations in a single winter since the program's inception. As the season continues and if temperatures continue to plummet, the center will remain operational.

The surge in demand comes during an unusually bitter winter that has seen the City's Department of Human and Community Services and local grassroots partners going to extraordinary lengths to accommodate the vulnerable.

Beyond providing a refuge from the cold, New Brunswick's program offers cots, pillows, and blankets-amenities that exceed standard requirements. Staff and volunteers have reportedly pulled shifts lasting up to 24 hours to keep facilities running during recent snowstorms, while local dinner ministries have scaled up to provide an average of 125 meals per night.

The center operates from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on nights when temperatures drop below 32 degrees for at least two hours.