When the temperaure drops, most of us just turn our heat up and put an extra blanket on the bed. But, for some that is far from reality. There are hundreds, if not thousands in our region who don’t have a bed or warm place to stay. The situation becomes even more dire as it gets colder outside. Today, we stopped by Fresh Start in Coeur d’Alene and chatted with a few homeless folks who sleep in the most unimaginable places. How would you like to curl up next to a gravestone in a cemetery? Well, that’s extactly where Star Haag sleeps almost every night. How about in a sleeping bag in the woods when it’s 20 degrees out? Welcome to Matt Pridge’s world. It was heartbreaking listening to their stories. Matt described how he can feel the frost coating his sleeping bag as the night wears on. He says it takes him a good six hours or so to “thaw” out from the night before. They all have their reasons for being homeless, regardless no one should have to sleep oustide in the bitter cold.
Fresh Start and St. Vincent De Paul have teamed up to make Matt and Star’s life a little easier. As soon as the temperature drops below 10 degrees, the two organizations will open a warming shelter- the first of its kind in North Idaho. The organizers w0uld like to open it sooner, but they can’t because of a lack of funding. Right now, there’s only enough money to be open 25 nights out of the entire winter. If you’d like to help go to their websit: http://www.freshstartinc.org/.
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