Given the forecast of extremely cold weather in Portland and east Multnomah County Monday night, city and county officials will again open three large shelters to any people and their pets who need a safe place to sleep.

The shelters open to all again this evening will be at Imago Dei church, 1302 Southeast Ankeny Street, the Sunrise Center, 18901 East Burnside Street in Gresham, and Bud Clark Commons, 655 Northwest Hoyt Street. Those three shelters opened Sunday for the first time since Dec. 26 and together sheltered about 200 people overnight, officials said Monday.

Families with children have other options for shelter in Portland overnight. Parents should call 211 to make arrangements for shelter and transportation, homeless service officials say.

Anyone in need of shelter, or who knows someone who is in need, can contact 211 for information and to arrange transportation if needed. Officials stress that no identification cards or prior arrangements are needed to sleep at the three sites; no one will be turned away. The shelters do no open until 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m., depending on location, so people without a place to stay will need to find other alternatives to stay warm until sleeping areas open.

Providers are also continuing their call for donated winter gear. Items can be mailed to or dropped off at a Portland nonprofit agency, Join, 1435 Northeast 81st Avenue.

The top five items sought are:

* Thick socks

* Waterproof gloves or mittens

* Water-resistant winter coats for men and women

* Sleeping bags and warm blankets

* Waterproof hats

Officials want, above all else, to prevent people from dying outside in the cold. Multnomah County officials have said six people died from exposure during last winter's cold snap, and The Oregonian/OregonLive identified and wrote about the tragic circumstances of four of them.

Temperatures in Portland are forecast to drop to about 25 degrees from midnight until 8 a.m. Tuesday.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive