An urgent appeal to help people without homes – or about to lose them – during this pandemic | PennLive Editorial
Updated Dec 18, 2020;
Here’s the stark reality, millions of Americans could become homeless this winter. And the coronavirus has made it more difficult than ever to help.
PennLive reporters Ivey DeJesus and John Luciew said three factors are aligning to create a catastrophic situation here and across the country: millions of people are losing jobs, COVID-19 is still spreading, and landlords who haven’t been paid in months are ready to evict.
The federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire on Dec. 31. Unless Congress extends the moratorium, or local governments act as has the City of Harrisburg, thousands of people like Bobby Mitchell, 61, will have to pay their rent soon or move out – in the dead of winter. This is a looming disaster that should disturb all Americans.
Only two homeless people sought safety in emergency winter storm shelter - but for providers, it’s a teaching moment
Updated Dec 17, 2020;
It may not have been the anticipated groundswell of homeless people, but even the two individuals who sought safety Wednesday night at an emergency shelter as the first winter storm pummeled the region serves as a teaching moment for service providers.
Like most people, the homeless value their possessions and are reluctant to leave them behind, even if it means enduring inclimate weather conditions.
That’s one of the early assessments from Darrel Reinford, executive director of Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area, whose organization along with Gospel Fellowship Church, on Thursday opened a temporary emergency hazardous weather overnight shelter for men as the first major storm of winter approached the region.
Coronavirus complicates bringing Pa.’s homeless in from the cold
As the mercury drops, many homeless living in hidden camps will look to come in from the cold. But the coronavirus has sharply cut shelter space.
Updated on Dec 18, 2020;
Published on Dec 17, 2020
Stephanie Tighe, a community health worker with UPMC Pinnacle Mission Effectiveness, delivers a new pair of glasses to Mark at the homeless encampment near the PennDot building in Harrisburg on Dec. 2, 2020. He was headed to his brother s house. Tighe had taken Mark for an eye exam earlier and was finally able to connect after searching for several weeks. (Photo by Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com)
Joe Deacon / WCBU
The Tri-County Area posted a single-day increase of fewer than 300 COVID-19 cases Tuesday for just the third time in the past four weeks.
Health officials added 266 new coronavirus infections to the region’s tally, bringing the total to 22,548 since the start of the pandemic – and 4,572 in December so far.
Two additional fatalities linked to COVID pushed the region’s death toll to 318 since mid-March. The victims were both from Peoria County, a man in his 60s with underlying health conditions and a woman in her 90s from Sharon Health Care Elms.
The Peoria-area hospitals have 179 patients with COVID-19, including 49 in intensive care units, and 6,819 people who have tested positive for the virus are in home isolation.
Tri-County Adds Nearly 2,100 COVID-19 Cases In 7 Days peoriapublicradio.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from peoriapublicradio.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.