As we all try and make it through this arctic snap, there are some in the Lima area that don't have what we see as a traditional home to stay warm in.
Meet Jerome. He has been homeless for many of his adult years in several cities around the country. Raised in Lima he found his way back to town about a year ago. He currently spends his nights sleeping on a porch out in the elements. He says the cold doesn't bother him much but he is making plans for the record-breaking low temperatures forecasted.
"I read some places where I can stay inside some nights, some nights I'll just stay here, so like this morning when I went to sleep it was 14 and I was pretty warm, I got a good sleeping bag, a good military sleeping bag," said Jerome.
We also talked to James. He is feeling blessed as he now has a new tent thanks to a good Samaritan. Just a month ago he was living in a makeshift tent in the woods. He and his dog Jack say this is home and where they will stay.
"It's homey, you know it's warm, we've got food, I've got my dog, what more could a person ask for," commented James.
Cindy has been living in her car for the past year and says this is where she is supposed to be. The cold temperatures aren't a problem as long as she has gas and she makes sure others near her are ready for the cold too.
"I always make sure that everybody's got a little bit of gas you know? Even if it's my last dollar, if I've got enough to get me through the night I make sure they've got it, and like I've said the money that was given to me I went and got blankets for everybody," said Cindy.
These three and many others that are homeless in the area get a visit from this man at least once a week. Russ Thomas spends his days helping homeless families stay together as the executive director of Family Promise of Lima. At night, he is passionate about helping these individuals in a positive and productive way.
"If we're just as stubborn about finding them as they are about staying out there, we've seen recently some cases just being persistent and showing them genuine love and helping them with resources, it sometimes breaks that barrier of anxiety or depression, whatever it is that keeps them not wanting to be around people," said Russ Thomas, executive director of Family Promise.
Thomas says there are more truly homeless people living in makeshift housing around Lima than you may imagine and encourages anyone that is homeless to call 2-1-1 to connect with resources for assistance.
