Letter: Keep homeless in mind

After our record snowfall, my husband and I drove to check on friends who sleep under tents and tarps near Share House. We were dismayed to see the tents covered in snow, with little sign of life. A barbecue nearby served as a warming station. Most folks there have only tennis shoes; if they had walked to Share for a meal, their feet would be soaked with no place to dry and warm them.

Andy Silver, director of Council for the Homeless, was quoted as saying, “It’s too bad more of our government agencies can’t partner with us to use their vacant buildings at night to keep people warm.”

City and county buildings are closed tight with people sleeping in their doorways and parking garages, risking frost bite. Why can’t their reception areas be available, with city and county workers volunteering shifts to house cold folks?

There are large churches, also, that could be warming shelters with volunteers from the congregations. Homeless people downtown have a hard time getting to St. Andrew’s family shelter and Living Hope’s warming center.

During the holidays, many came to feed and bring warm clothes to the homeless, but we don’t see this now. I’d like to see these groups take shifts at St. Paul for the Winter Hospitality Overflow shelter; we’re short of volunteers this winter. Please consider my ideas as you sit in your warm homes looking at the beautiful snowdrifts. Remember, 85 or more people are living in those snowdrifts.