COVINGTON, Ky. — Freezing temperatures continue Saturday. The weather can be dangerous for those without heat.
The Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky says need started going up as temperatures cooled early this year. Early January, as the weather started getting colder, officials say they were turning away 20 to 25 people each night from the shelter’s location on Scott St. The facility can house 24 people. Capacity has been reduced due to COVID-19.
“Beyond homeless, individuals experiencing homelessness, what if you were staying someplace and and didn't have heat?” said Kim Webb, Executive Director of Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. “This is where house fires happen because people, they put an oven door. They plug in things. They use kerosene heaters, you know, is there is there a way for us to continue to to improve our response as a community?”
Shelter officials opened up an overflow shelter at Mother of God Church on West 6th St. in Covington. The church can house up to 49 people.
The Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky will also open a new, larger facility later this month.
You can help the shelter by making a monetary donation. $30 will provide shelter for one guest for one night. Donations can be made online here.
