Homeless shelters stretched in extreme cold

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - On a day as cold as Thursday was, most of us do everything that we can to stay inside. For some people, though, that's not an option.

That is why Springfield's Friends of the Homeless Shelter not only gives people a warm place to sleep at night, but they also have a day center to keep the homeless safe from the cold.

They are doing the best that they can to meet the high demand of people who desperately need their services. This week alone, Friends of the Homeless gave out hundreds of donated hats, scarves, and gloves to the homeless.

Executive Director Bill Miller told 22News that more than 180 people needed shelter Wednesday night; an increase from the 150 homeless they'll see on a normal day.

“Unfortunately, all our beds are full and we've got people sleeping on the floor. We're seeing the most people we've ever seen in shelter before,” Miller said.

A report from the Census Bureau in 2010 showed that Massachusetts had the 8th-largest homeless population in emergency and transitional shelters.