A supporter of ours, Eva Buhite, called the Akron Mayor's office at 330-375-2256.
They told her that they will not open any homeless warming centers until the temperature gets to ZERO degrees.
(They also told her that we are NOT allowed to say the mayor needs to open warming centers. So check your freedom of speech at the door when you call the mayor.)
This is cruel and inhumane.
I took 5 minutes to see what other cities use as guides for when they open warming centers. Here are a few I just found:
SALEM WARMING CENTERS - About Us
For the 2018-19 Warming Season, warming centers are activated anytime that the temperature reaches 32 degrees or below from November 1st-March 31st.
Anytime the temperature goes below 32 degrees, there is now a list of shelters that will be open for the homeless population to walk in and get warm.
Emergency warming center open for the homeless | WHNT.com
When the temperatures drop below freezing for more than 24 hours consecutively, Grateful Life Community Church welcomes people and pets. "Two-legged, four-legged, flying, it doesnt matter," said Larry Jess, Board Chair at Grateful Life Community Church.
Warming center to open in Newark Tuesday, Wednesday nights
According to the National Weather Service, the temperature is expected to be around 20 degrees around 7 p.m. Tuesday night with a wind chill around nine degrees.
Code Blue Extreme Cold | Baltimore City Health Department
When temperatures, including wind chill, are expected to be 13ËšF or below. This threshold can be reached by having a temperature at or below 20ËšF with 5 mph sustained winds or a temperature at or below 25ËšF with 15 mph sustained winds. When other conditions (i.e. strong winds, forecasted precipitation for more than two hours, extended periods of cold, sudden cold after a warm period) are deemed by the Health Commissioner to be severe enough to present a substantial threat to the life or health of vulnerable Baltimore citizens.
Freedom Warming Centers Seek Funding, Volunteers for Winter - The Santa Barbara Independent
Since then, homeless advocates and members of the faith community have banded together to open the temporary shelters — which operate when the temperature goes below 35 or when a 50 percent chance of rain overnight is forecast.
Warming Centers in the St. Louis Area
Excessive cold indicators: wind chill expected to be -15 degrees or less, or stagnant air temperature is 15 degrees.
Severe Weather — 211info - Oregon
when the temperature is forecast to reach 32 degrees and below
There is a complete and total lack of interest and care for homeless people in Akron Ohio.
Doctors know that hypothermia can occur when temperatures drop below 50°F. And you are at risk of hypothermia at higher temperatures in wet and windy weather.
This is cruelty. This is inhumane.
Why does our Akron government not care whether the homeless of our city live or die?
They have a responsibility like every other city in America to care for their homeless citizens.
This is especially true after they closed our village and warming center. "They broke it so they bought it."
If they don't like the way we were taking care of homeless people then they need to do it themselves.
This is a violation of the 8th Amendment of the Constitution. The lack of action on the part of the city especially during winter months is using the elements as a form of torture and brutal punishment for a people they don't like. This is a clear act of cruel and unusual punishment for people they see as drug addicted losers.
Keith Stahl, MSW, LISW. Director of Operations and Residential Services at Community Support Services, as well as personal friend of the mayor, has told me on two separate occasions that "the street is motivating." What he is saying is that if these people suffer enough on the street they will eventually come begging to him for services. Not only is that despicable and reprehensible, it is also not how the homeless (the people he gets paid a lot of money to "care for") actually function. The street and all of its brutality just makes these people MORE homeless and pushes them further away from services.
We MUST demand that the officials of the City of Akron step up and provide warmth to our homeless citizens. Anything else is torture.
Paid For By The People for Sage Lewis