DENVER – An old man’s winter takes its toll on furnaces, water pipes, and cars, but the misery that ensues pales in comparison to those who live outside.
Homeless people in Denver struggle to stay warm.
Demand for shelter space is on the rise, so the city is taking people to an overflow shelter at La Alma Rec Center on West 11th Avenue.
But not everyone wants to stay in a shelter.
Several people living in a tent town near 10th and Bannock stay put.
“People can die here and get frostbite,” said Ruben Cordova. “I’m going to a motel.”
Cordova says he has been out in the cold before and it was miserable.
“I burned paper or plastic to keep warm, and sometimes I didn’t even have that,” he said.
While a Denver7 squad was visiting Ruben, an army of volunteers from four different groups stopped.
A group of faith-based Good Samaritans from Ohio handed out peanut butter and popcorn sandwiches.
“We are affiliated with Jesus Christ,” Lakeya Thompson said after distributing the bag lunches.
Pastor Daryl said to Denver7, “It’s so cold you can freeze to death and you need some food and some living to make it.”
Another group, the Capitol Hill Outreach Medics, brought supplies.
“We bring sleeping bags and tents, whatever the needs of the community, we try to meet them as best we can,” said Asher Crowne, an MSU student who is studying to become a human rights lawyer.
A third group of volunteers brought more food, including bananas.
And a fourth group, community nurses, handed out hand warmers and told residents to watch for frostbite symptoms.
“Fingers turn white at the ends and you don’t get good blood flow,” said Audrey Goodman. “We see it a lot with our customers.”
Several volunteers had been out all day looking after the needs of homeless people elsewhere in the city.
“We had a dislocated shoulder,” said a volunteer named Cricket. ‘Someone has been in a bicycle accident. We had another person whose stitches opened on his leg. ”
Cricket lamented the frequent clean-ups of homeless people.
“We make contact with these residents,” he said, “and every time they become displaced, we cannot contact them.”
Goodman said, “These are our fellows and we must take care of each other.”