Detroit shelters work to provide a place for those with nowhere to go, living in bitter cold

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The crippling cold has blanketed Metro Detroit amid a bitter winter blast this week.

But it is even worse for those with nowhere to go. There is an ongoing effort to help the homeless right now.

Big picture view:

FOX 2: "So talk to me about being out here?"

"It’s cold the last couple of days have been really cold," said Keith.

Keith is unhoused. He’s a fixture at Eight Mile and Woodward in Detroit and was kind enough to talk about the challenges he faces.

"It’s rough,  you get kicked out of many places," he said.

FOX 2: Why would you opt to stay out here instead of going to a shelter?"

"I’ve never been to one actually, so I don’t know," he said.

Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries is working to help the unhoused population.

"We have a policy that we don’t turn anyone away," Audi said. "Our main priority is to save peoples' lives and make sure their health is very well protected. Because those cold elements like this will at least cause frostbite."

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Keith talked about how he stays warm while living out in the elements.

"I usually wrap up my coat and then I have a blanket hidden, I use that," he said. "And then, I don't even have socks on."

Terra Linzner is the Homelessness Solutions director for the City of Detroit.

What you can do:

"Starting last week we made our 866–313–2520 help line number open 24/7 seven," she said. "So that households could contact that line at any time of night and if they need immediate shelter, we will take them to a temporary shelter that we set up for this cold weather period."

Those locations include Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries and the Pope Francis Center.

Metro Detroit warming centers: Where to stay warm during deep freeze

Detroit residents can also visit any Detroit Public Library or recreation center during business hours for a warm place to stay.

And the shelter say it’s not just about bringing these people off of the streets and out of the cold. It’s also about giving them a new start.

"We will be offering them somewhere safe to be in," Audi said. "And to hopefully receive some services that will get them to a good, permanent situation."

The City of Detroit help line is 866–313–2520 and it is available 24 hours a day.

Keith lives on the streets and spoke to FOX 2 about the dealing with the cold temperatures.