Shelters Gear Up To Protect Homeless From Cold
(CBS) -- Cold weather is forcing an Aurora homeless shelter to stay open around the clock, reports WBBM's Steve Miller.
Hesed House in Aurora is the second largest homeless shelter in the state and the executive director Michael Cobb says the staff is ready to for the challenge of a string of cold days.
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"We are geared up for the next four days all the way through Saturday we will stay open 24 hours," Cobb said. "We break very briefly to get things cleaned up but we are not on our regular schedule because it is more important for us to have our doors open so people can get off the street and in a warm place."
Right now, Cobb says Hesed House needs boots, long underwear, thick socks, sweatshirts and coats.
The homeless who have jobs work before returning back to Hesed House at night are faced with a particular challenge, Cobb says.
"Our location is a good location but we do have one bus line that runs for many of our guests that work, it may take them two hours to get to work because they are using public transportation out this way or they are riding bikes and in the cold like this, you cannot have a bike out there," Cobb said.
Hesed House has been providing shelter and support for the homeless in Aurora for 30 years.
In Chicago, CBS 2's Jim Williams reports one group is out on the streets, hour after hour, hoping to convince the homeless to seek shelter.
All the time Val James and Patrick Gehrlich spend in this bitter cold is not the hardest part of their job.
The social workers reach out to homeless people on Chicago's streets and make the same suggestion again and again: Get out of the subzero weather and come to a shelter.
Angela, who says she's been on the street for 15 years, calls shelters are unsafe. In cases such as hers, James and Gehrlich will give them clothing and coffee.
"We also gave her a McDonald's card so that she can go back later if she wants to and she can stay there as long as it's open," James said.
Only a temporary solution, but humane.
James and Gehrlich, who work for the group Thresholds comb the streets, subway stations and pedways.
"There need more affordable housing and more mental health services to make sure the people who get housed stay housed," Gehrlich said.
For now, they'll return to Angela and many others.
Val James and Patrick Gehrlich often buy CTA tickets for the honeless. It gives them another warm place to stay for a few hours. The group Thresholds is a delegate agency of the City of Chicago's Department of Family & Support Services.
