DALLAS (1080 KRLD)- Shelters in Dallas are setting up cots and warning homeless people about the cold weather forecast later this week. The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Chill Watch starting Thursday morning and running at least through Friday. Wednesday, NWS forecast wind chills as low as -6 in Dallas and Fort Worth and -8 in Denton.
Austin Street Center and OurCalling are working together south of Downtown Dallas to provide extra beds. Austin Street Center moved to a new location earlier this year and has set up 360 beds at its old shelter on Hickory Street about a block away.
"We've got cots in here, we've got deliveries of bottled water, we're stacking up blankets," says Austin Street Center Director of Advancement Communications Teresa Thomas. "We're making arrangements for food deliveries, et cetera, so we can all be ready to go."
Thomas says shelters and non-profits communicate with each other to find open beds. The City of Dallas says it has a mobility plan where people without transportation can be picked up and taken to a shelter. People will also be able to use DART.
"One of the great things about the City of Dallas is we understand how to come together as a team," Thomas says. "The issue of homelessness is a community issue, and it's going to take everyone coming together to help solve it."
Thomas says outreach teams have started going to homeless camps to warn them about the weather and urge them to come inside, saying weather this cold can make the decision life-or-death. In previous cold snaps, she says some people have lost limbs or had frostbite.
"There is a tendency from folks who do live on the streets permanently to say, 'Oh, I'm just going to ride this out. It's not that bad. I'm just going to get some extra blankets, some extra coats, and I'll be fine,'" she says.
Thomas says people who come to the shelter can receive medical attention. She says the organization needs donations of personal hygiene items, hand warmers and foot warmers. Austin Street Center says it can also benefit from cash donations.
"We are urging the community, first of all, to be compassionate for our homeless neighbors who don't have a safe place to lay their head on a regular basis," Thomas says. "If you encounter anyone or know anyone, please encourage them to seek shelter for the next several days."
Information about Austin Street Center is available at https://austinstreet.org/.
OurCalling also operates an app that tracks open shelter space, available services and an option to report camps. Details are available at https://www.ourcalling.org/app/ .
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