Weather
Packed Shelters Call on Local ChurchesSeveral local churches are working as temporary overflow shelters during the coldest winter months.With temperatures hovering below zero for weeks at a time, Anchorage social service groups are struggling to find enough warm beds for the city’s homeless. “Let’s put it this way: We can’t turn them away,” said Jim Crockett, Executive Director of local soup kitchen-turned-shelter Bean’s Cafe “We might be illegal a few nights, but we’re not going to send somebody out in the snow.” Preferring to flout local zoning code rather than see a single person go without shelter, Crockett said the problem of homelessness in Anchorage is persistent and, in the winter months, sometimes deadly. While the non-profit Bean’s Café traditionally only provides meals, not shelter, Crockett said they are legally allowed to house 142 people per night when the neighboring Brother Francis Shelter reaches its capacity of 240. Many nights, they surpass the limit. “This is not a Bean’s Café problem,” he said. “This is a city problem, and a state problem.” Municipal officials agree. Darrel Hess, Homeless Coordinator with the Department of Health and Human Services, said Saturday his agency is considering other options for the nights when Anchorage’s other shelters are full. One alternative? Hess said several local churches have successfully applied as temporary cold weather shelters under the municipality’s cold weather plan. They’ve kept busy. “Since the first of the year it’s gotten really cold, I know one church had ten or eleven people one night, and another had seven or eight,” Hess said. Those churches – Central Lutheran, Changepoint, Anchorage City Church and Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church – coordinate with municipal social service groups to take in those left out in the cold by overflowing shelters. Crockett said they're are not enough. “We need more support, we need more churches, and we need more contingency plans to help us get the results we need,” he said. With an obvious need, he said it’s time for the community to step up and step in. |
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Popeye said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 11:28 PM
The face of homelessness has changed in recent years. Now we are seeing more of the folks that have been thrown from homes, jobs and dignity. Families with children, Pray for those folks and and if you are warm, employed and comfortable, then maybe donate time if nothing else to those in need!
80606698Elmer Marshall said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 12:53 PM
I agree with your article that this is a State of Alaska's problem, most of the homeless comes from other places within the State of Alaska. The Governor needs to stepup and use some of the State money on his OWN people..
80592383re: Bob D said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 12:43 PM
there is no money in it and the THOUGHT of a vagrant in his church - I mean REALLY!!! lol... what the BozoPrevo doesn't realize is what would happen to him if BOOM we had another earthquake... he wouldn't be worried about what he was wearing... oh nevermind he would hop the first plane to Hawaii and claim he had " church business " ...
80592104mercurial said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 10:20 AM
Anchorage Baptist Temple 907-333-6535
80587924BobD said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 9:39 AM
What's wrong with that Big Baptist Temple ? I'll bet there's plenty of money in it's coffers. C'mon Prevo , step up and show your Christian teaching. Or don't you practice what the scriptures preach ?
80586684Lluna said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 2:54 AM
wheres that 20 millions that housing got a couple of months ago, come on ktva, if you want to be better then ktuu then be real reporters and find out whats going on, or are you peeps like those at ktuu that don't want to t-off people because your hoping to get a job with the big companies, if Sean Doogan is smart he will NOT take advice from his old buddies at ktuu and work on being better then them..
80576204cccold said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 1:36 AM
i wonder if housing first, which thank God does'nt allow purvy or violent csp-patients to live in their building, will allow 1 visitor (non-purvy, non-violent) in each unit while it is this cold? what about school gyms, and fairview rec. center, and spenard rec. center, and the boys and girls club? their floors are sweepable and vaccumable and/or moppable.
80575504ccccold said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 1:06 AM
i've noticed theres not as many occupiers at the town sq. and parkstrip recently. even the purvy city hall camper/protester has found somewhere to go. maybe all the people-hunters have each other's phone numbers and they round-up like cows at the homes of the ones who have homes. nothing like a supercold streak to make all of us, rich, poor, and in betweens, use our smarts.
80575209Riceman said on Sunday, Jan 29 at 12:43 AM
Hey I heard Jerry's offering to use his several lavish tax exempt houses. I thought donations where to help those in need, not to to embelish the life styles of the churchs elite. What did our savior preach about the preists and their lavish temples of gold
80575034Ed said on Saturday, Jan 28 at 11:19 PM
What no ABT??
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