Catholic Charities, other groups help the homeless as record heat takes toll

The months of June and July in Minnesota were filled with unrelenting heat and humidity — the kind that makes life difficult for many people, particularly the homeless.

And there is more summer to come.

Catholic Charities, parishes and other groups provide important services in times like these, with members of St. Stephen in Minneapolis and groups like RADIAS Health and People Incorporated in St. Paul distributing supplies to people on the street and in encampments throughout the Twin Cities, said Chris Michels, director of housing stability and opportunity for Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

“They’re doing welfare checks on individuals, bringing in supplies as they’re able to and encouraging individuals to get into cool, indoor spaces,” she said. “I’m extending invitations for them to come into the day center spaces and the shelter spaces. So, we’re actively working with our outreach partners to make sure that our doors are open.”

Catholic Charities has provided emergency shelter in the Twin Cities every day through the pandemic. It operates two facilities in St. Paul: Higher Ground, which offers a place to stay for people experiencing homelessness, and, across the street, the St. Paul Opportunity Center, a day service center for people at risk of becoming homeless, or working to move up and out of homelessness. “One of those buildings is always open 24 hours a day,” Michels said.

In Minneapolis, Catholic Charities’ Higher Ground facility and opportunity center operate in a similar fashion.

Shelter is particularly important this summer.

As of July 28, the Twin Cities had 22 days this year with highs at 90 degrees or above.

The first 10 days of June were the hottest recorded for that period in the state’s history, according to the University of Minnesota Extension Office, based on the average of temperatures taken at all of the state’s climate stations. Highs in the 90s several of those days meant temperatures were up to 23 degrees above normal. Thermometers often stayed in the 70s overnight, allowing little cooldown.

Heat and humidity can be difficult for anyone outside for short periods, but they take a real toll on people who cannot escape the high temperatures, making indoor air-conditioned spaces like homeless shelters and drop-in centers critical for good health, Michels said. The real solution is an increase in affordable housing, she said.

Extreme cold hits people hard and fast, with frostbite and hypothermia. Prolonged heat can bring dehydration, heatstroke and flare-ups of preexisting conditions, she said.

Catholic Charities always provides water and other beverages at its locations, but increases supplies during hot weather, with large dispensers located inside and outside its doors. Additional bottled water — about 250 extra gallons a week — is being distributed to all programs based on need, making it available to residents and guests.

Another big challenge in the heat is irritability, Michels said.

“When you’re living in a space where you’re surrounded by people, and you’re irritable, that just makes things more difficult to manage,” she said. Making sure everyone has the space they need to decompress and regulate body temperature is important, she said.

When it’s hot, people who come to Dorothy Day Place in St. Paul for a meal tend to linger to take advantage of the air conditioning, grab a shower or do laundry, Michels said. There was an uptick in services over the last few weeks in July, a time that also coincided with the end of the month, when Catholic Charities tends to see an increase in numbers, she said.

Catholic Charities’ work with the homeless is important every day — winter and summer — Michels said, “because when you don’t have a place to be and you’re unsheltered, or even if you’re sheltered and residing in an emergency service location that has lots of parameters around coming and going,” that’s difficult any day of the year.

For individuals who receive services during extreme weather conditions, Michels said, “it’s just yet another thing that’s already stacked upon a ton of challenges.”

How to help

The volunteer page on Catholic Charities’ website is robust with opportunities for people who want to help, Michels said. As volunteers deepen their understanding of issues related to homelessness, they also can advocate for funding streams to better meet the need for services, which is critical.

“Any way people can educate themselves and get involved and then advocate is tremendous,” she said. “We’re always looking for volunteers.”

Donating supplies is important, “even the really small things that people don’t recognize are important,” she said, like a clean T-shirt, especially in the summer heat.

“It positions us to be more empathetic and it grows our ability to engage with people if we have those types of things at our fingertips,” Michels said.

Financial donations also help — one reason is that Catholic Charities can often purchase items in bulk at cheaper prices. To donate financially or through gifts of clothing, household goods and personal care items, visit cctwincities.org/donate.