CLEVELAND — As winter finally arrives in Northeast Ohio, very soon the arctic air will too.
As we all know, being outdoors in freezing temperatures is just not tolerable, especially for the homeless.
"Once the weather gets down to 15 degrees or negative 15 wind chill, then all of the guys stay in," says David Blunt of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry.
They'll be staying in at the ministry's shelter at 2100 Lakeside Avenue in downtown Cleveland. Blunt says when the weather is acceptable, the men who stay overnight come to the facility at 3 p.m. and leave at 8 a.m. But during an arctic freeze, which our area is expected to see later this week, the facility is open 24 hours.
Lutheran Ministry also partners with Trinity, the United Church of Christ, and The Metanoia Project just to name a few. More than 93% of those who are homeless stay in a shelter.
However, there is also the unsheltered population. They are those who will remain outdoors no matter what the thermometer reads.
"Some don't want to share space with a lot of people, many of the shelters have rules and regulations," Blunt says when asked why some wish to stay outdoors.
Blunt says you can help the homeless by offering blankets, socks, underwear, coffee, or a meal. There are also other options for shelters:
The Ministry believes no one should suffer in harsh temperatures. After all, Blunt says we probably know someone who is struggling to keep food on the table. They just don't tell us.
"Honestly a lot of the things that plague the homeless population plagues our neighbors as well," Blunt adds. "Our neighbors just have resources to provide housing for themselves."
The difference is the homeless don't have a home.
The Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Men's Shelter on Lakeside Avenue can accommodate 365 men, with an additional 60 in overflow shelters. It is the largest homeless shelter in the state of Ohio.