Many often see people on the streets in Ashland, but the city is offering to help to those without homes in the winter.
“We just kind of sit together and keep warm,” Barbara Bain said.
Barbara Bain is homeless.
“We’re supposed to have an 80% chance of snow all this week so it’s hitting hard and it’s hitting fast,” Bain said.
When it’s cold, she turns to shelters.
In the winter months, Pioneer Hall in Ashland opens its doors to 42 homeless people every Tuesday night.
But shelters are only offered Monday through Thursday, forcing her to find other ways to stay warm.
“I was gifted a van so I stay in that right now. Sometimes it’s an RV–we all have RVs, vans–people just go into whatever they can to be warm,” Bain said.
According to Leigh Madsen, the executive director of the Ashland Community Resource Center, those without vans rely on sleeping bags and tents.
“I can’t possibly imagine and my heart breaks when I think of the people who are not going to be able to be in a shelter tonight. When I drive downtown on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights I sometimes cry,” Leigh Madsen said.
The city does work with the Ashland Community Resource Center when conditions are dangerous.
“The city of Ashland offers a shelter for anyone when the temperature becomes 20 or less,” Madsen said.
In the midst of so many hardships, Bain likes to focus on the bright side.
“We’ve all become family, and to me that’s positive. And we all look out for each other, and we’re there for each other whenever anybody needs something,” Bain said.
The city of Ashland notifies the homeless of shelters on nights when it’s under 20 degrees by posting on homelessoptions.org, and hanging posters at the food coop as well as the information kiosk on the plaza.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.