(CBS DETROIT) — As we approach freezing temperatures, some local nonprofits are trying to get people off the streets and into the heat.
“Put your feet under it,” Stephanie Taylor said as she helped someone cover themselves with a blanket.
Taylor is the outreach manager for Covenant House Michigan. She travels the area looking for people fighting homelessness.
“This weather will kill you, you can’t try to sleep here in this weather,” Taylor told CBS News Detroit.
Covenant House typically serves young adults under the age of 24, but as needs increase, it does not turn away others seeking help.
“If you are here and want to go to a warming center, we will be there to help you,” Taylor said.
Taylor likes to live by the motto: ‘Help those who need it.’ She knows the streets can be dangerous, and that motivates her to serve.
She asked an unhoused woman, “Are you ready to come with me?”
The woman replied, “No.”
While some aren’t as willing to come in from the cold, others are. Stephanie introduced CBS News Detroit to a pregnant teen she recently helped. The teen had been sleeping at a bus stop in downtown Detroit.
“I felt scared and thought, what if my body couldn’t handle being in this cold? What if I hurt my child,” Shade Evans said.
According to Evans, she is now in another facility with stable living conditions. It’s been a few weeks, but now, seven months pregnant, she is rebuilding her life.
“Like the only thing you can turn to is drugs, selling your body, or being owned… it feels like there’s no option for you,” she said.
Covenant House sees at least fifteen people needing help every day, and that number could increase as the weather gets colder.
“So many are struggling with mental health and substance abuse, and a lot of them don’t have enough money for rent, and it’s really sad,” Taylor said.
According to the city of Detroit, more than 6,000 people will become homeless by 2022. With blankets and snacks in tow, the outreach team tries to help
“We need more affordable housing for the youth, but we also need to make sure they get a good education and training so they can actually earn a living,” Taylor said.
Terell Bailey
