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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=news/local&id=5905217
FLINT (WJRT) -- (01/21/0--Old Man Winter's Arctic blast is taking its toll on Mid-Michigan's homeless population.
The colder temperatures are causing many shelters in Genesee County to fill up fast.
The need is definitely growing, especially with temperatures at night getting into the single digits, sometimes below zero.
Many of those without a home are turning to shelters for a safe haven.
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As the mercury dips, the search for shelter by those in need goes up. On many cold nights, the dorm of the Carriage Town Ministries is often full.
"We can sleep about 60 men in this dorm," said Executive Director Lois St. Clair.
"If we have overflow, we can sleep in our dayroom about 12. We've even put them in the chapel when it's so cold and we have that demand like tonight."
The shelter tries to make it as comfortable as possible for those in need.
"We give them dinner and they come upstairs and they take a shower and get clean pajamas and linens and sleep, and in the morning we give them breakfast," St. Clair said.
Unfortunately, St. Clair says the homeless population in Genesee County is continuing to grow. And there are times when shelters must make the difficult decision to turn some away when they are filled to capacity.
"Especially the women's center," St. Clair said. "A lot of times we have many more calls than we can accommodate. There's just not enough shelters around there for women and children."
When the need is great -- which is often when it gets cold outside -- Carriage Town Ministries depends on the generosity of the community to help those that are less fortunate.
"About 86 percent of our funding from our businesses comes from people like you and me," St. Clair said.
Most shelters will try to find a place for people to stay when they are full. The doors to the Carriage Town Ministries shelter opens around 5 p.m.
The shelter is always taking donations.
http://www.carriagetown.org/
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Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:56 pm |
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last time here
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thank god for shelters and people who care... this is what
being an american is all about. |
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Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:34 pm |
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