712 Digital Group - top

The Latest: Extra-cold weather brings out extra shelter help

News

January 25th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — The extra-cold weather brought out extra volunteers at an eastern Iowa shelter for homeless men. Gwen Kirchhof is executive director of Almost Home in downtown Dubuque, and she had not yet made it from her rural home to the shelter Friday morning, saying “the wind has blown my road closed with snow.” She says the extra volunteers were a blessing because the shelter’s dozen beds were full overnight and the men needed what she called “compassionate care” for their well-being: nutrition, health, clothing, shelter, employment. Kirchhof says the shelter can hand out free bus passes, “but it’s too cold to stand out waiting for a bus.” The temperature outside hovered around minus 11, with a wind child of minus 19.