Cold snap has service organizations in overdrive

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – With winter settling in and temperatures getting into dangerously low territory, organizations helping the homeless and poor are in overdrive.

Service at Meals on Wheels gets more intense as temperatures plummet.

“People are aware they need meals, and elderly people especially have the tendency to maybe panic in this kind of weather, and that helps them realize, ‘Maybe I need to call Meals on Wheels,’” said Vicki Burdick, the marketing director for Meals on Wheels.

Volunteers deliver two meals to 500 people every day. For some, it’s done out of a sense of duty.

“It’s necessary for us to do that,” said Anne Macatangay, who was delivering meals during her lunch break from Simon Property Group.

“We just wanted to get out and get involved in the community,” explained Molly Soller, another volunteer from Simon Property Group.

For the recipients, it’s a lifeline.

“Some of them got to be friends and occasionally they want me to pray for them,” said a man identified as Clemson, who had his meals delivered to him. He also said he has a long prayer list.

Meals on Wheels not only delivers meals, but they also make wellness checks to make sure seniors, the disabled and home-bound are well taken care of.

Organizations catering to the homeless are also working tirelessly through the cold snap.

Officials at Horizon House said Monday five homeless people have already died this year. They’re not saying they’re all connected to the weather, but they say it shows the urgency they have to getting people indoors.

The facility is located on the city’s east side, and on Sunday night they had four outreach teams out trying to get people off the streets.

Horizon House is normally just a day program, but they were commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security to open their doors as an emergency shelter.

Through their outreach they had 43 people stay there Sunday night, and they’re expecting about the same Monday night.

But they say getting everyone off the streets is often an uphill battle.

“Some of these people have been out here for years, and so they’re like, ‘Well, I handled last year, so I can handle this year,’” said Kathleen Brannen, a member of the organization’s outreach team.

For those who aren’t willing to go to the shelter, Horizon House provides blankets, food, hand warmers, gloves, hats and scarves. They also plan follow-up visits.

“We’ve told everybody last night that didn’t want to come in we would come out tonight, and we’re opening again tonight because I think after they got a taste of last night they’ll want to come in,” said Brannen.

The Wheeler Mission is also in an emergency situation.

They said some people had to sleep on the floor Sunday night because they ran out of cots.

Capacity at their location on East Street and Market Street is 350, but they also have an overflow shelter on Delaware Street.

The Salvation Army opened an emergency shelter at Eagle Creek on Sunday night.

The location is closing for Monday night.

They said they had five people stay there Sunday night, but all of them found other places to stay for Monday.