Charitable organizations serving individuals and families in crisis are currently strategizing about how they are going to meet the needs of the homeless this winter. While supplies are always needed, winter is especially a difficult time for those who are homeless because of exposure.
“People who are homeless experience disease three to four times as often as people who are housed," said Jennifer Hyvonen of the Fourth Street Clinic in Salt Lake City. "And in fact, poor health is often a contributing factor of someone becoming homeless.”
Hyvonen said that many supplies are needed throughout the year but winter is especially difficult.
“We’re always looking for people who are interested in doing community service drives both in doing hygiene kits as well as wound care kits," Hyvonen said. "We are always looking for sunscreen and lip balm in order to protect patients.”
Tony Milner, the executive director of Family Promise in Salt Lake City, clarified said there are many misconceptions about those who receive help from such organizations.
“They are real families just like them," Milner said. "They look just like them. Their kids go to the same schools. Possibly their co-workers next to them in the next cubicle are experiencing homelessness. The families that we’re serving are very unseen invisible population. They keep it to themselves. You really don’t know if someone is homeless or not unless you actually know where they’re sleeping for that night. A person that they sit next to in church, for all they know, that person is sleeping in their car at night.”
Organizations throughout Utah are in need of donations and volunteers to help those in crisis get back on their feet.
