Local shelters in need of warm clothes as winter weather approaches

Demand is up already for warm clothes for those in need.

This from Street Help administrator Christine Wilson-Furlonger who says local charities are seeing the requests increase as the winter weather approaches.

She says the homeless can't escape the cold. 

"If you are in that all day long and you cannot go inside anywhere and warm up and rest, you're still feeling the cold even though the rest of us are coming out from indoors," she says.  "We're thinking it's pretty great, but it's not if you're stuck in that environment."

Wilson-Furlonger says they're seeing a lot of new residents in need.

"So many people are hurting too and it's not just the homeless right now," says Wilson-Furlonger.  "We have had so many more people that live in the neighbourhood, found out they could come here and we'd happily give them a meal and they are coming, coming in asking for those basics because they just can't afford it."

She adds, in addition to clothing, there's a major need for sleeping bags.

"Sleeping bags, well people are demanding them already and we're down," she says.  "So that's something we're going to be asking people, please help us with sleeping bags to give to people. It's a priority over a lot of other things."

If you'd like to donate, Street Help is located at 964 Wyandotte St. E. in Windsor.

The annual Coats for Kids program is underway as well — more information about that can be found on the UHC Hub of Opportunities website.

— with files from AM800's Rob Hindi