‘That weather can kill you’: People’s City Mission already full but still open to anyone

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – With the first true onslaught of winter temperatures comes a crowd of people needing a warm place to sleep.

The People’s City Mission said winter is its most expensive time of year.

Pastor Tom Barber, the CEO, said the biggest influx comes from men who live in camps for the warmer months.

“When the weather starts to get in the 20s, they all start to come into the mission,” he said. “And usually, when it gets to the teens, virtually all of the homeless are at the People’s City Mission.”

Barber said the mission’s beds are already full, and it has 50 to 70 men on the floor.

“If it gets too much, we’ll use our dining room and actually put them in our dining room, put them on cots,” he said. “We try to make sure we can accommodate everybody.”

When the temps get below 30, the mission will let anybody come inside to sleep from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Barber said this includes people who have previously been asked to leave or have had services suspended.

“Who wants to die on the streets?” he asked. “We don’t want anybody really in danger. That weather can kill you when it gets really cold. And we don’t want anybody ever perishing on the streets because they broke a rule at the People’s City Mission.”

The mission will take any donations it can get to keep people warm.

Coats, hats, gloves, socks and other winter necessities are always welcome.