As many people were discovered sleeping outside in the bitter cold, homeless assistance groups issued an SOS appeal to anyone who could be sleeping on the streets in below-freezing weather, reports Breaking News.
Novas, a homeless organisation, said that it had found a place to stay tonight for a guy who was homeless in the heart of Limerick, where the temperature had dropped to -7 degrees.
A woman’s tent and blankets against a wall near Limerick’s Island Road served as yet another sombre reminder of the homelessness problem. In the vicinity of Corbally, a guy was using another tent, reports Breaking News.
As temperatures dropped below freezing on Wednesday, another lady in dire need of lodging sat out on a thin piece of cardboard along O’Connell Street, Limerick’s major artery.
The woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “It’s very very cold today, the forecast is for minus ten and it’s not good for anyone’s health to sit on the street, it can cause hypothermia, you could die and it’s not how anyone should be living,” reports Breaking News.
“Yes, that’s a possibility that I might have to stay out tonight and that I might have no where to go,” she said, reports Breaking News.
“I’ve been on the street since New Year’s Eve, and as a vulnerable person I find the homeless (hostels) intimidating, they don’t (provide) for vulnerable people who can’t go and share accommodation with people involved in substance abuse and violence problems, I cannot go in the hostels so really there is no help for me. Everyone is needing help but there isn’t enough help, it’s a terrible situation that vulnerable people can be left on the streets literally to die. I’m looking after myself, I’m clean and I’m doing my best for myself, but the help isn’t there,” reports Breaking News.
The woman said she tries to gather enough money everyday to sleep in Bed & Breakfast accommodation as she is too scared to stay in emergency hostel accommodation.
Shivering with the cold, she said: “The ground is cold, I should be wearing thermal leggings and the cold in the ground is getting to me now. All the services are swamped, there is not enough help, especially not the help that a vulnerable person needs. A lot of the serves are geared up for people with addiction problems, but there isn’t really a service for a vulnerable homeless person,” reports Breaking News.
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