For most of us dealing with a COVID winter, being forced to stay inside by cold temperatures, winter storms and snow is just one more challenge in year that has been, to put it charitably, incredibly challenging.
But for people huddled under highway overpasses in Camden, in tented encampments in Pemberton Township s woods, or wandering the streets of Cumberland County s downtowns, finding a way to escape the elements can be a matter of life or death.
Making sure homeless people have a warm, safe place to go when temperatures plunge can be difficult under normal circumstances, but as COVID-19 cases spike all over South Jersey and the country, homeless advocates and county and municipal officials say it s harder than ever to protect some of our most vulnerable people.