The Annual November scramble to help the homeless survive winter

Getting ready for colder weather. If it is just putting a few clean garbage bags in your bag and handing them out to people on the street who need an emergency raincoat or bag to keep their stuff from getting wet, please do that or whatever you can. — T.J.

Preaching Grace on the Square

We are in the midst of the annual last-minute ritual in Madison to try to patch services and shelter facilities together in an effort to provide for our neighbors who have nowhere to sleep and nowhere to find shelter during the days. This year is worse than previous years because the temporary day shelter that was provided the last two years is not happening. Instead, city and county politicians are hoping to provide funds for some services this winter: bus tickets, showers, storage, and the like. They’ve also funded some outreach activities in the newly-renovated Central Library. You can read more here.

Joe Tarr reports in this week’s Isthmus about how shelter providers are planning for significant increases in the numbers seeking shelter this winter. The reasons for the increase in homelessness in Madison are complex, debatable, and in part beyond the control of anyone in our community.

But…

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