Temperatures Dropping, Homelessness Rising In Sioux Falls

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Dale is newly homeless and seeking shelter from the cold at the St. Francis House.

Dale is newly homeless and seeking shelter from the cold at the St. Francis House.

By Valerie Gutierrez

As the temperatures hit below zero homeless shelters will be filled to capacity. This year is no different

But the difference this year is the number of new people they're seeing. The economic storm is forcing many new faces to seek shelter from this winter storm

The warmth of home can take away the chill from the freezing cold, but for many like Dale that comfort comes from a homeless shelter.  

"I've never been homeless in my life," he said. "This has been eye opening for me. I just know that I have to get out there and be self sufficient." 

Dale is another example of these hard economic times costing people their jobs and their homes and who now find themselves homeless for the first time.

Julie Becker from the St. Francis House in Sioux Falls says most of those asking for help are first time homeless. 

"And they were a little over extended which more people are in our country and it just started going down from there," she said.

One homeless man we talked to agreed:

"Some people are just one paycheck away from being homeless."

They may be homeless but they don't have to spend the night outside fighting the freezing conditions. On a cold winter day, they can come in grab a cup of coffee and they can also leave with hats and mittens and gloves and a warm blanket to make sure that they stay warm

As the nights get colder, shelters like the St. Francis house in Sioux Falls are beginning to get crowded, but they say they won't turn anyone away and have referrals to other agencies for those in need.

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