U.P. Homelessness, Part 3

Winters can often drag on for most of us, but it can be a dangerous time for the local homeless population.

In a week–long series of joint reports with the Mining Journal, newspaper reporter Renee Prusi looks at poverty and we at ABC 10 focus on the homeless.

Tonight, we see how some people are getting though hard times with the help of a seasonal shelter.

No one plans on being homeless, but for those who are in the U.P., it’s slim pickings for shelter.

Some rely on tents for temporary housing, but in the winter, conditions can get brutal.

That’s why many turn to Room at the Inn, one of the only emergency shelters in Marquette County.

Unlike many shelter programs that require a background screening which takes several days, Room at the Inn meets the immediate need of local residents in crisis.

Room at the Inn director Robin Roy says the program housed more than 100 people last year, but the quantity of homeless in the area far surpasses that number.

And in the long run, a place to sleep from 6 pm to 6 am and two squares is just not cutting it.

However, the assistance doesn’t stop there.

tomorrow night we’ll take a look at the growing issue of homeless veterans and the support services available.