IC organizations do their parts in aiding the local homeless population through tough winter weather.
By Kayli Reese
As icy winds begin to blow through Iowa City, residents have been bundling up to ward off the cold. Unfortunately, not all individuals in the community can afford this.
Organizations such as the Shelter House and the Salvation Army have recently been creating new resources for the homeless population to use throughout winter.
“There’s a relatively high number of homeless people [in the Johnson County area],” said Mark Sertterh, associate executive director of Shelter House.
The nonprofit provides housing and resources to the homeless population in Iowa City and works with them to find jobs and housing, he said.
Sertterh said he sees homelessness as a very prevalent issue throughout Johnson County, estimating more than 25 people per night in Johnson County communities have to sleep in the street.
One of the most pressing issues for the homeless in the winter is frostbite and hypothermia while having to live out in the cold, he said. Shelter House offers a place for people to stay when needed to prevent anyone dying out in the street due to these conditions, he said.
The city of Iowa City provides funding to organizations such as Shelter House and the Crisis Center of Johnson County, said Tracy Hightshoe, neighborhood-services coordinator for the city. Approximately $400,000 in funds are given from the city to the facilities to help the homeless.
She said this money is given every year to organizations, and winter shelters are operated under a portion of this money.
“This way, there’s somewhere for you to go so you don’t freeze,” she said.
Shelter House expands its usual housing operations in the winter, Sertterh said. Usually, a general-use emergency shelter is offered, he said, which includes 70 beds. In the wintertime, he said, the lobby of Shelter House is also offered as more space for people to sleep in a warm area.
In addition to this, Sertterh said, low-barrier shelters have been created for winter use for the past two winters. This year, he said, a low barrier shelter will be located at the Unitarian Universalist Society building, 10 S. Gilbert St. Low-barrier shelters do not require any Breathalyzer exams or forms of drug testing for people to use its services. In addition to the normal shelter options, he said Shelter House saw about 32 people a night in low-barrier shelters in the past two years they have been offered.
Lt. Tim North of the Salvation Army said a warming center is also provided starting Jan. 1 until the weather warms up. At this center, he said homeless individuals can find warmth and meals.
Also, North said, the Iowa City branch of the Salvation Army started a Sunday breakfast for the homeless population, which has been in effect for about a month. At these meals, he said people can also receive a sack lunch to eat later in the day.
In the summer, he said, he and other Army members noticed a lack of meals provided to the homeless on Sundays. To ease this particular issue, the Sunday breakfast is now given in correlation with church services.
North said the homeless population are simply people in his eyes, and they deserve food and warmth same as anyone else. Most of the time, he said, homeless people are simply down on their luck. Also, there are many people in the community who are just a paycheck away from being homeless, he said.
By trying to provide the bare minimum of food and shelter, North said, the community greatly helps the homeless population. He said he personally hates seeing people go without these basic needs, and he understands being homeless can happen to anyone, including himself.
“The homeless are people, just like you and [me],” he said.