Homeless shelter opens early on the holiday - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Homeless shelter opens early on the holiday

By: Kate Pabich
kpabich@cbs4qc.com

With temperatures below zero Monday, Quad City homeless, need places to warm up, but their options were limited.

Because of the holiday Monday, Kings Harvest was the only place the homeless could go to escape the bitter cold temperatures.

When Fred Jackson found out Humility of Mary was closing at three on Monday, he decided to come in and open Kings Harvest early, on his day off, to make sure no one was left out in the cold.

"It's important it's the kind of work I do working with the homeless to make sure they're out of the cold."

Normally, Kings Harvest doesn't open up until 9 at night giving people a place to sleep, but Jackson says they had to open early.

"They can't go to the library because it's closed, they can't go to the bus station because the busses aren't running they have to have somewhere to go to stay warm so we're opening up at three  to do that for them."

And folks who stay at Kings Harvest, like Wallace Ross, say it's a blessing.

"For him (Fred) to be called up on his day off and asked if he could volunteer to open these doors to us who have nothing at all, I thank God for Fred."

Wallace says winter is the hardest part about not having a home, and when cold fronts sweep in, depression comes too. So having a place to go today made it a true holiday.

Kings harvest is able to house up to 80 people every night.