Long Island's homeless advocates reaching out ahead of cold weather

Homeless advocates are reaching out to those living on the streets across Long Island this week to provide blankets and shelter as frigid temperatures are expected to arrive Friday.

The forecast calls for an arctic cold snap Friday and Saturday with blustery winds making it feel like it's 10 below zero at times and advocates say many of the homeless won't or cannot seek shelter out of the elements.

“Most people are remaining outside, because they’re not eligible or the shelter placement offered did not meet their needs and their preferences,” said Mike Giuffrida, associate director of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless. “We’re meeting people where they’re at and those planning to remain outside during inclement weather. We’re providing whatever resources we can so they can safely survive that time.”

The Coalition for the Homeless mans outreach teams in Nassau, Suffolk and for the Town of Brookhaven. Street outreach teams have made contact with 390 different homeless people in the past year, Giuffrida said.

The coalition has also tracked at least 25 people who have died during the elements during the past two winters, he said.

“They were mostly related to hypothermia and medical conditions strained by living outside and enduring these conditions,” Giuffrida said. “It’s very common that people we engage on the street have frostbite on their feet and are missing limbs from other medical issues.”

The coalition makes year-round outreach, but ramps up efforts ahead of inclement weather and freezing temperatures. Advocates will deliver blankets, winter coats, food or medical care.

Though many are offered emergency housing or directed to a shelter, illegal immigrants do not qualify for shelter and others may choose to stay living in encampments or in their cars to avoid being separated from a significant other, a pet or proximity to work or their home communities and support systems, Giuffrida said.

“ There’s a large misconception that everyone is choosing to be on the street. When we have conversations, there are many reasons why they’re not accessing emergency shelters.”

At the INN in Hempstead, workers serve 300 to 600 meals per day at the Mary Brennan Soup Kitchen. During the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, soup and hot meals were only served in the soup line outside, but the INN reopened its renovated cafeteria Dec. 12 to invite patrons inside to sit down for their meals, spokeswoman Dana Lopez said. She said she expects demand to grow as temperatures drop.

The INN operates 54 beds of emergency housing, including 5 cribs. They also support long-term housing for nine families and a 15-person male congregant housing.

“We don’t want anybody outside, especially in the winter,” Lopez said. “We know some guests we serve don’t always have somewhere to go at night. It’s dangerous to anyone outside, especially at night. We do our best to get them inside the best we can.”

In Nassau County, anyone in need of assistance can call 1-866-WARMBED. In Suffolk, the county initiates a Code Blue alert when temperatures fall below 32 degrees. Anyone in need of shelter can call 631-854-9100.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.