TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Housing Solutions worked is working with other organizations to handle the overflow of people seeking shelter from Thursday's dangerously cold weather.
The people most at risk as temperatures drop are homeless Tulsans. Established shelters can't fit upwards of 2,000 people believed to be without a home in the city, prompting Housing Solutions to round up volunteers and find a new space for hundreds more people.
“We needed to immediately find more space, and especially space that allows anyone to come as they are, their pets, bring their belongings," said Jarrel Wade with Housing Solutions. "We need to just — it’s an emergency."
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John 3:16 Mission, the Salvation Army and the Tulsa Day Center filled up by Wednesday evening ahead of the arctic blast — each holding a few hundred people. Housing Solutions is partnering with other agencies and churches to open an additional warming station to bridge the gap.
“About half of people that are living in homelessness outdoors, they’re living out there not because they want to but because there’s nowhere for them and their pets so that’s one of the reasons we opened their shelter,” Wade said.
He said pet agencies are donating kennels so animals can stay with their owners as well as pet food. He said he called for volunteers from downtown churches and other agencies and within eight hours of the initial call, they got all the volunteers they needed to make this shelter happen.
“I know we have 203, four-hour shifts that we filled in eight hours. It was amazing. But it’s five days worth of four-hour shifts, we asked for seven volunteers per shift and a bunch of people volunteered for several shifts."
Wade said the volunteers are doing more than just helping at the shelter. Teams are going to encampments and areas where homeless people live to offer them a ride to the shelter and a warm place to sleep.
“Once we fan out and get them all transported to the shelter it’s time to give them a Merry Christmas and make them comfortable," Wade said.
Volunteers will have board games and food for everyone to enjoy.
Some people are still expected to choose to stay outside. People with John 3:16 Mission say if you see someone stumbling in the cold, don’t assume they’re OK. They're urging you to call authorities.
Here’s a link to signs and symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia as well as a donation sheet to Housing Solutions. Signs of frostbite and hypothermia can be found here.
Anyone looking to help Tulsa Housing Solutions can do so here.
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