Beds At Shelters Fill Up in Cold
By: Caroline Tucker
Updated: January 21, 2013
Shelters across Rochester are running on 'Code Blue', a status when the temperature dips below 20 degrees.
But these days, there are more homeless than beds available.
When the temperature drops, many homeless are left on the streets.
Some find bus shelters with heat.
Others huddle inside of a warm parking garage.
It's a way of life for hundreds of Rochester's homeless.
"It was scary, very scary," said Chris Thousand, who is recently homeless, "I mean I couldn't feel my hands, my feet, my legs went numb."
Chris thousand found himself homeless a week ago after family and health troubles.
"First time never been homeless. I have always had a place to live money in my pocket," said Thousand.
He's now getting his fill on soup and has a warm bed at the Open Door Mission, which is open 24 hours during this cold snap.
Those who are homeless tell us the library in downtown becomes a place to go in the bitter cold.
But on days like when the library is closed, they have to find another place to go.
"The people that come in, they have held out as long as they can, try to tough it out and sometimes that can't happen in a Rochester winter," said David Appleton, Crisis Shelter Manager at Open Door Mission.
The Open Door Mission's Executive Director, Michael Hennessy, said there are an estimated 600 to 900 people who are homeless in Rochester but only close to 400 shelter beds.
The Open Door Mission has 40 beds and an extra 40 on standby.
"We have never gotten into that situation where we have gone into over 40 down here but if we did we would make room," said Appleton.
Some of these men are recently unemployed. Some have drug or alcohol addictions. Others just bad luck.
"The Open Door Mission really shows that they care," said
Code blue won't end until the cold does.
The goal is to help people get permanent housing.
Open door helped 158 people last year.
Chris hopes to be next.
"Hopefully I can get a place to live and my family can live with me," said Thousand.
While the Open Door Mission serves homeless men in the community.
The Salvation Army serves men, women, and children in its multiple shelters.
It says it too is working on 'Code Blue' as are other area shelters.
The Salvation Army normally houses people who are referred but has and open door policy to accept others during this time.
