Last week, a couple was living out of their car with a newborn child and two preschool-aged twins, said Emily Pike, executive director of New Hope Family Shelter.
The average temperature last week was 20 degrees. The National Weather Service issued a wind chill warning from 10 p.m. Tuesday until 1 p.m. Thursday in Bloomington.
For homeless people in Bloomington, the cold weather means more than putting on a hat before walking to class. It can lead to serious health complications, and many Bloomington homeless shelters offer support for these people.
Continuous exposure to extremely cold weather can result in frostbite and hypothermia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This mainly affects homeless people’s noses, ears, cheeks, chins, fingers, and toes.
New Hope Family Shelter, located 301 W. Second St., has a motel-hotel program to provide shelters for families while they wait to be placed in a home. While the service is year-round, Pike said it is used more often during the winter. The shelter gives priority to the most vulnerable families.
“Families are stronger together,” Pike said.
New Hope is open to all families, Pike said.
Pike said many people don’t understand how easy it is to become homeless, and with the government shutdown, there may be more people on the streets.
“It isn’t as hard as you think to end up homeless,” Pike said. “We are really, really dedicated to the idea that everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live.”
Other local homeless resources are Shalom Community Center, Interfaith Winter Shelter, Wheeler Mission centers and A Friend’s Place.
