NEW ORLEANS - While many people are in their homes turning up the heat, one man was just trying to stay on his feet.
Eyewitness News noticed him lying flat on the sidewalk on Gravier Street. While we walked over to make sure that he was okay we called 911.
After some help, he started to feel a bit better.
"I can't remember my brain. It's too cold to think," the man said.
Too cold to think, or even move his hands.
He told us his name is William Wolf, or Willie.
Willie said he has lived in New Orleans for 11 years, but the streets are his home.
"Have you had any shelter at all today?" WWL-TV asked him. "No," Willie replied.
There are thousands like Willie in the city, including Charles Jackson, who helped Willie when his knees started to buckle.
"I stood here. I've been walking miles. I saw this guy here and I just couldn't leave him. My heart goes out and I emphasize because I'm homeless," Jackson said.
Jackson is also looking for a place to stay tonight. He has a job, but it's not enough.
The city of New Orleans opened their low barrier shelter three months ago. Officials said because of the high need for shelter in the community, their beds do not stay open for long and they're running at capacity every day. The shelter has 100 beds.
A full statement from the City's Shelter and Engagement Center (Low- barrier shelter) can be found below:
The City of New Orleans Shelter and Engagement Center has been open for approximately 3 months. Our admission criteria requires that individuals must be 18 years or older and un-housed at the time of entry to the shelter. We do not require identification or fees for entry. We do not require information on treatment history, diagnoses, or case management participation on entry. We do not require TB tests on entry and can assist individuals after intake if they do not have current results. If and when we have a bed available, we will accept walk in and referrals including self-referrals. We do ask that agency referral sources call us to check bed availability before sending a potential guest to us in case we do not have a bed available and cannot accommodate them at that time. If we have bed available, we will complete our internal referral form which gives us more insight into what type of bed and bed area would best meet our potential guest’s needs. If we have availability, we will accept the referrals or walk-in and complete the intake at that time. We do, at times, have to turn people away if we do not have a bed available that can meet their needs. Due to the high need for shelter in our community, our beds do not stay open for long. We are running at capacity every day but our availability can change throughout the day due to guests exiting the shelter so we encourage all partners, community agencies, and all individuals who are without shelter to keep trying to gain access by calling or stopping by. With the upcoming cold weather, we will be participating in emergency freeze nights when declared by the City and will have 30 emergency cots to assist with providing an emergency shelter to individuals in need. The shelter’s mainline is 504-517-1815 if anyone has any questions.
With the hardest months still ahead, Willie, and many like him say there needs to be more shelters like this, not just to stay warm, but to stay alive.
One way that you can help is by donating shoes to Kicks for the City, a non-profit program that collects shoes to later give to those in need. For more information click here.
Caresse Jackman can be reached at cjackman@wwltv.com.