LUBBOCK, Texas — The Salvation Army in Lubbock said on Monday that it is already seeing an increase in people needing services because of freezing temperatures, but it is critically low on supplies.
The shelter said it expects the number of people needing warm food and a place to stay to continue rising this week, and it is preparing ‘cold cots’ for the winter weather.
“Typically with cold cots, we’re hovering around 50 extra individuals on top of the 125 residents that we already serve,” said Erica Hitt, Director of Social Services at Salvation Army in Lubbock.
Linda Faulk is one of those residents. She told everythinglubbock.com that she could no longer afford her bills after her roommate was killed in a car accident last year.
“I didn’t have nowhere to stay. So, I called over here and they gave me a place to stay. They gave me a cold cot,” Faulk shared.
This kind of support can make the different between life and death in winter weather, Faulk explained, which is why the shelter is taking it one step farther by sending ‘cold patrol trucks’ around the city.
“Individuals that may get trapped in different parts of Lubbock… the goal is to bring them back for shelter,” Faulk said. “If for some reason, they’re not wanting to stay with us for the night, we give them all of the means to survive the night.”
She added that the Salvation Army will give a warm meal, blankets, gloves, sleeping bags and whatever else volunteers have on hand to those individuals who choose to stay in the cold.
The shelter said its Empowerment Center, also a warming shelter, is completely full, but “fortunately, [we have] a big property here. So, if we have to open up a different area as overflow, we will not cut off the numbers. Anybody who’s looking to get warm can come here.”
She encouraged anyone who wants to make a donation (hygiene supplies, blankets, towels, hats, coats, gloves, etc.) to drop off those items at 1614 Avenue J anytime.
For anyone needing a warm place to stay, contact the shelter here.
