The director of Lexington’s Catholic Action Center said bitterly cold temperatures pose a mortal threat to homeless people. Ginny Ramsey said a new state law has made unsheltered people harder to find because they’re fearful of being cited or arrested. She said the center has been working since last Thursday to identify people who live in so-called “deep camps.”
“One of the things a lot of folks don't realize is that House Bill 5, one of the impacts is that the campers move and hide. Now they do let our Compassionate Caravan come, because they know that we're not reporting them.”
Ramsey said the center’s winter hotel program is providing rooms for 120 people, and in all, 152 men, women and children have warm places to stay through the center. Tuesday afternoon, she said other Lexington shelters are at capacity.
“The beds at Salvation Army are full. The beds at Hope Center have been gone, but they're putting people on the floor. I don't know how much floor space they have left now, but so is Arbor Youth. So all of our shelters are full and are stretched beyond belief.”
The Catholic Action Center’s street survey last August showed a 25 percent increase in the number of homeless persons in Lexington – a figure city leaders disputed. Ramsey said folks who want to help now can contribute to the center’s winter hotel program.
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
