As Congress Waits America Freezes
By Donald Whitehead
In January 2010, NCH released a report on Winter Services that detailed extended shelter hours and other services that work to decrease the risk of hypothermia deaths among people who are homeless. Hypothermia refers to the life-threatening conditions that can occur when a person’s core temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
NCH’s Winter Services report in 2010 found that 700 people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness are killed from hypothermia annually in the United States. A similar report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that looked at data from 1999 to 2003 found that on average 688 deaths each year were due to hyperthermia. While the CDC report does not mention the housing status of those who passed away due to heat-related illnesses, we can relate the risks to people who are homeless to the CDC’s recommendations for preventing hyperthermia.
Last year in Los Angeles, despite the typical sunshine and mild temperatures, five homeless people died of causes that included, or were complicated by, hypothermia, surpassing San Francisco and New York City, which each reported two deaths. Over the last three years, 13 people have died at least partly because of the cold in LA, the coroner’s office said. And advocates worry that increased cold, rainy winter will mean more fatalities.
In 2020, the pandemic will exacerbate these issues. The country is facing an explosion of individuals entering the homeless system. In the past faith-based organizations have come to the rescue in many cities providing Hypothermia Shelters on their properties. This year many of those faith-based facilities are shuttered due the rising number of COVID-19 cases nationwide. According to the CDC the daily rates of new infections in the U.S. are now hitting new highs of more than 100,000 per day, as the coronavirus spreads to new locations. Even if the FDA approves a new vaccine before the end of 2020, it will take at least six to nine months to implement.
It is vitally important that communities utilize Cares Act Funds and ESG to house those living on the streets. As Congress waits America Freezes. Please call your Congressperson and ask them to pass a stimulus bill now.
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Get to Know NCH!
Highlighting Members of the National Coalition for the Homeless.
Learn more about membership here.
Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, founded in 1984, is a unified social action agency, fully committed to its ultimate goal: the eradication of homelessness. The Coalition consists of people who are or were without homes or are on the edge of homelessness and approximately 60 homeless services organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Some efforts of the Homeless Coalition over the past three years:
- Through organizing with thousands of Tenants facing mass displacement and gentrification 823 affordable homes have been saved from closure, and their affordability has been secured for decades to come.
- Successfully convinced Cincinnati City Council to create an Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
- Organized with people living outside against criminalization, resulting in a state and federal lawsuit against the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County with the potential to set national precedent.
- Advocated successfully for continued restoration of City funding of Human Services organizations.
- Partnered with people who have experienced homelessness, presented in front of thousands of people, hosted universities for week-long stays, provided social justice walking tours and Streetvibes Distributor Shadow events to educate and build empathy.
- Streetvibes Distributors disbursed over 115,000 copies of the newspaper, spreading local news about the fight against poverty and homelessness.
- Led effort with shelters to move hundreds of people from shelters into hotels to prevent the spread of shelter, successfully got our county to commit to improving shelter facilities to prevent the spread of the virus within and are currently working to get the City of Cincinnati to utilize federal funds to supply shelter and housing assistance so that hundreds of people are not forced to live outdoors throughout the entire upcoming winter.
The collective strength and unrelenting push of our People is what will eventually eradicate homelessness.
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National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week is November 15th - 22nd, 2020. To register your events please visit: https://hhweek.org.
Due to COVID-19, we are encouraging communities to consider holding virtual events. (Looking for a film to screen virtually? Consider The Invisible Class)
We are also asking folks to #Shareyourtable on social media, with either a literal interpretation or a metaphorical imagery of what a table means to you.
How did voting go with folks impacted by homelessness? Please let us know in this quick survey.
We are very excited to participate in a special promotion from HBO Max in conjunction with the release of Melissa McCarthy's new film, Superintelligence. The actress will be posting videos to her Instagram account each day. Already, 1,060,000 has been donated to 4 stellar charities. Lookout on November 23rd, when NCH will be highlighted! Click below for more info.
DC City Council member David Grosso has twice introduced the Michael A. Stoops Anti-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2019 to add housing status as a protected class to the District's Human Rights charter. The bill would protect people experiencing homelessness from discrimination in the city.
NCH was thrilled to participate in a hearing the DC Council held earlier this month on this important piece of legislation. Click below to watch the full hearing (NCH's Executive Director speaks at 1:16).
Upcoming Events
November 16, 2020, 12 PM Eastern
Nov 18, 2020, 3 PM Eastern
NCH H&H Week Virtual Congressional Briefing
November 18, 2020, 6-9 PM Eastern
Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week Virtual Concert
November 19, 2020, 3 PM Eastern
National Town Hall for People Experiencing Homelessness: Criminalization
December 2-4, 2020
National Coalition for the Homeless, 2201 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
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