INDIANAPOLIS — While many may chose to stay home and out of the severe cold this week, some members of the Indy community are left with nowhere to go.
This week, temperatures are expected to drop to the single digits, with wind chills as low as -25 degrees.
MORE: WRTV Storm Team forecast
“This is the worst part of the season. Even if you attempt to better yourself or make a way out of no way, the temperature is, for lack of a better word, it’s scary," Andre Phinisee said.
Phinisee has been experiencing homelessness on and off for four years.
He spends much of his time at the Wheeler MissionShelter for Men and he’s getting ready to hunker down ahead of Thursday.
“This place is my refuge," he said.
It’s a similar story for Kody Pritchard.
“They could freeze to death. It could get that cold out. It’s sad; everybody deserves to have a warm place to go," Pritchard said.
Wheeler Mission estimates there are 1,567 people experiencing homelessness in Marion County — 273 of which are children.
The shelter estimates it serves 300 men on a daily basis. Those number rise in the winter months.
“What we wanna do is make sure that we’re prepared, that we have spaces [and] make sure that we have the capacity and staff available to handle any number of extra people that we get to come in during this time," Director William Bumphus said.
Bumphus says staff will be out on a nightly basis this week to inform those in need.
“We do have several groups that go out. We call them Outreach Teams, who go out to some of those camps. They go out to some of those areas where we notice there is a lot of individuals experiencing homelessness. They give them that information and let them know ‘hey, here are your options,'" he said.
Staff are stocking up on mats, sheets, blankets and food to prepare for the end of the week.
The most needed items at the shelter are men’s underwear in all sizes, coats and other winter weather clothing items.
“Whether that’s giving monetarily, whether that’s giving hygiene, we have a needs list right on that website ... you can go down that list and figure out what it is you would like to help provide for the guests that we see," he said.
If you want to help and have items to donate, you can drop them off at their location at 520 E Market Street.
A link to their website can be found here.
Indy Parks is also offering several warming centers.
The following park family centers are available during listed hours for the public to come inside and escape the cold weather. Please view opening hours, which include upcoming holiday hours, here: https://t.co/IaPaeKtXl8 pic.twitter.com/HT4EbDGd0B
— Indy Parks🌲 (@IndyParksandRec) December 20, 2022
