Bend homeless shelters fill up in bitter cold

The brutal cold hitting Central Oregon is hard for everyone, but especially for those who cannot easily escape it.

“I can actually see the temperatures and the bitter cold on the people’s faces when they come in at night. It’s pretty sad,” Jason Klain, a resident of Bend’s Shepherd’s House Ministries, said Friday.

Sub-zero overnight temperatures are here, and the shelter is clearing out space to make room for extra people.

“For the homeless, it’s a really big deal, because they’re looking for places to sleep. They’re looking for a warm place to hang their hat. So for them, it’s survival mode,” said David Notari, director of development for the shelter.

Kevin Johnson has been a resident for about month.

“It’s really hard to survive,” he said. “You try to stay warm, and you’re constantly getting wet because of all the snow. It’s just miserable. It’s unlivable.”.

The residents all have roles at the shelter. Johnson’s is managing and distributing clothing and sleeping bags.

“Message to everyone: We need donations. We’re giving them away as fast as we’re getting them,” he said.

An anonymous donor is helping this cause. From now until Dec. 31, every dollar donated to the shelter, up to $200,000, will be matched.

To donate, go to shepherdshouseministries.org