Fighting the Elements
Homelessness often seems to draw more attention with inclement weather, but people living on the street are in need of resources year round.
Delaware reaches temperatures consistently below zero in the winter months, but in the summer the highs consistently exceed 90 degrees.
Both extremes create equally hard times for the homeless and there are few options in Delaware for relief.
Because there is no shelter for single displaced men, many sleep on the streets and are forced to move from place to place throughout the night. Factor in a cold night and trying to stay warm becomes another complication for survival.
While aid workers are often most concerned about the homeless when it is cold, people on the street must also deal with rain, hail, extreme winds and snow. Shelter may be the solution, but here, if it starts raining in the middle of the night, finding a safe space is challenging if not impossible.
Living outside in poor weather conditions adds complications to an already unstable lifestyle, creating constant illnesses for those who are homeless.
Homeless people face many smaller obstacles that don’t even reach the radar screens of those with a roof over their heads. Steven Carl, of Delaware, said that all of his blankets were burned up when some kids came and smoked weed where he was staying.
Jon Hornbeck, of Delaware, said that due to his high blood pressure, he is more concerned about being homeless in the summer than he is in the winter.