Shelters are struggling to meet the increased need
CINCINNATI, OH – January 6, 2015 – Hamilton County’s shelters began struggling to meet increased need for the expanded Winter Shelter space early this season. Now that much of the country is facing a deep freeze, community leaders are expecting increased capacity to continue to climb.
Last night, 105 people were accommodated by seasonal winter shelter over and above the 670 people sleeping in year-round shelter beds. These numbers represent a 16% increase in the number of people typically sheltered, straining an already over-burdened shelter system.
Year-round emergency shelters do not have the capacity to serve all homeless people during the coldest months of the winter, so Strategies to End Homelessness, the Drop Inn Center, Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church add seasonal Winter Shelter capacity to ensure that everyone has a safe, warm place to sleep. Since late November, Winter Shelter capacity has been operating at two-thirds of the total full capacity of 150 beds, even before temperatures began to fall.
In Hamilton County, 670 emergency shelter beds are available throughout the year. An additional 100-150 Winter Shelter beds are made available from mid-December through February. Over the past two weeks, 100 of these Winter Shelter beds have already been occupied, despite temperatures still being relatively warm.
“The demand for Winter Shelter has been greater than expected this winter, “ said Kevin Finn, President and CEO of Strategies to End Homelessness. “It is our responsibility to ensure homeless people have a safe, warm place to sleep. However, such increased and early demand could exhaust resources that we hope will last us through February.”
Last winter, the Winter Shelter served more than 710 people between Dec. 7th and March 6th. The Winter Shelter’s full capacity is provided in two locations: the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Race Street and within an additional section of the Drop Inn Center facility on 12th Street. As many as 160 people can be sheltered between these two locations on any given night, at a cost of around $1000 per night. No one will ever be turned away, even when reaching full capacity.
Donations to support the Winter Shelter can be made through Strategies to End Homelessness by visiting www.wintersheltercincy.org, or calling 513.263.2790.
