Mission Opens Second Overflow

It is 11:48 PM and one of the coldest and wettest nights of the winter. There is about 4 inches of snow on the ground and we are expecting more throughout the night. Many of the men that stay in our men's shelter are on mats because we have run out of beds. Men are lined up in the halls and into the lobby hoping to get a mat. The men are mostly calm and trying to do what is asked of them. A few are mentally ill and are agitated. Unfortunately the mentally ill homeless often have a difficult time coping with the crowded conditions that are found in shelters. However, everyone seems thankful just to have a place to stay tonight. Due to the number we are opening the 1st floor of our women's shelter on Market Street for additional overflow. A van is currently taking the first load of men over, and we expect to have about 25 men on mats sleeping on the floor in the women's dining room.

I spoke with a number of the men that would be staying on mats and they each remarked how grateful they were just to have a place to stay. Many had been in the cold during the day and were wet from the snow and freezing rain. One man who's wife is staying at the women's shelter said "I am so thankful I have a place to stay and I love my wife, she is at the women's mission".

I just received a call from our recovery manager, Virginia Taylor. Virginia is setting up the sleeping mats at the women's shelter for the 25 men that will be staying there tonight. We decided to set up a temporary canteen to include fresh water, cookies and chips. She is also setting up a TV in the area.

I spoke with Marlene Gordon the director of the Louisville Coalition for the Homeless and she reports that all shelters in the city are full and the only overflow that is available is the one we are opening in the dining room of the women's facility. Metro Louisville Police have been contacted and will be using that as a drop off site should they find others out in this weather.