CINCINNATI — Extreme winter weather has pushed shelters across Greater Cincinnati to capacity, with more than 300 people seeking warmth at two emergency facilities as dangerously cold temperatures continue to grip the region.
Cincinnati has extended activation of its extreme winter weather daytime shelter at St. Anthony Center through Friday, Jan. 30. The facility at 1615 Republic St. in Over-the-Rhine operates from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in partnership with St. Francis Seraph Ministries.
"We are currently over 220 individuals," said Brooke Lipscomb, Cincinnati's place-based initiatives manager. "This is their home for this week. We will welcome them with open arms every morning at 6 o'clock."
Three meals daily, round-the-clock care
St. Anthony Center provides comprehensive services during activation periods, including three meals daily, snacks, activities and connections to wraparound services.
Breakfast includes cereal and oatmeal, with hot meals when possible. Local restaurants donate sweet treats.
Lunch consists of bag meals, while dinner provides hot, substantial meals. Free transportation runs between the daytime center and Shelterhouse at 411 Gest St. for overnight accommodations.
WATCH: Greater Cincinnati shelters keep those in need safe and warm during extreme cold
Staff and volunteers told us they remain determined to turn no one away despite operating at capacity.
"You would think that doing this, we would have thankless jobs. I've been told thank you by almost every person I've served, and I worked the breakfast line this morning," Lipscomb said. "No, thank you for trusting us enough to come in to let us help you."
Monday marked the sixth day of activation for Cincinnati's extreme winter weather shelter this winter season, with the first two days occurring unusually early in December.
"We'll be open this week. We'll get an uptick in temperatures next week, so we might not have to be here next week, but as soon as they start dropping to those teens with the wind chills, the doors will pop right back open," Lipscomb said.
At least a dozen volunteers work daily at the shelter, managing coat checks, food lines and dish stations. Some of the staff said they emphasize building relationships with each person seeking help.
"I think showing compassion is critically important. It's the connections between us, right? It all comes down to relationships, and that's our goal, is to build those relationships one by one," said Mary Pat Raupach, executive director of St. Francis Ministries.
Community volunteers brave conditions
The winter storm hasn't stopped the willingness to help, with volunteers braving dangerous travel conditions to help those in need.
"We expected those we had recruited that are our volunteers committed to our mission, but it's the strangers off the street that walked in and said, 'I felt I had to do something. I live four blocks away. May I be of service?' I mean, that's powerful," Raupach said.
The shelter operates with support from city workers, police, the fire department and paramedics who regularly check on guests dealing with medical conditions aggravated by extreme weather.
"We are so glad to do this, and let me say that because of the fact that the compassion ties to our mission, very much so, to nourish and nurture those in need, building on that Franciscan tradition," Raupach said. "Our goal is to extend compassion, support, understanding as well as acceptance, right, safety while they're here."
Northern Kentucky shelters also at capacity
Across the Ohio River, the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky faces similar challenges. The organization operates at full capacity year-round with all 68 beds occupied, but has activated additional emergency measures during the extreme cold.
"When we get to these situations, we work in collaboration with Kenton County and the City of Covington, and when the governor declares a state of emergency, then we will go into overflow mode," said Kim Webb, executive director of the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky.
The Covington shelter can accommodate an additional 27 people in chairs overnight during "white flag" conditions. ESNKY also operates the Campbell County Cold Shelter during white flag alerts. Activated for the first time this winter on Friday, it operates from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. with a 60-bed capacity.
Sunday night, 31 people stayed at the Campbell County location, with 19 choosing to return to the main Covington facility Monday morning for access to laundry, Wi-Fi and computers.
"We see the numbers continue to increase," Webb said. "We still have people that shouldn't be sleeping in cars, we have people that shouldn't be sleeping outside."
Systemic challenges
Webb said the lack of adequate shelter beds creates ongoing challenges throughout the region.
"We don't have enough emergency shelter beds in our community," Webb said. "We have animal shelters that are taxpayer-funded and required by our state constitution to be in all 120 counties, but no such statutes for humans."
To ensure adequate staffing during extreme weather, Webb said the Northern Kentucky shelter took proactive measures, booking hotel rooms for staff who live farther away and asking employees to work longer shifts.
"We worked with a local hotel that gave us a great deal and kind of treated us as an essential workforce, because that's what we are, right? We have to provide a service to keep people alive," Webb said.
Webb said financial support remains the greatest need for emergency shelters during extended activations.
"These are things you can't necessarily budget for, but you have to be able to respond, and then you have to be able to figure out how we're going to pay for it at the end," Webb said.
The Northern Kentucky shelter currently needs help with laundry services and drivers for their transportation bus, but is asking people to hold off on clothing donations due to space constraints.
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