GREENSBORO, N.C. — A homeless shelter in Greensboro has seen a surge in people.
Greensboro's Interactive Resource Center recently expanded its hours and many have taken advantage. WFMY News 2's Nixon Norman learned how they're managing, with more cold weather coming next week.
Leaders at the IRC said they've seen a steady increase in numbers since COVID. The number of those they serve has recently spiked again with the expansion of hours the IRC is open.
On white flag nights, they used to average around 75 to 80 people a night, now that they're open nightly, Monday through Friday, they're averaging 100 to 130 a night.
"Whether it's cold or not, no one deserves to be sleeping outside," IRC's Director of Programs, Benitta Curtain said.
The IRC has been providing a place to escape the coldest nights for years now. William Goins has been homeless for 10 years but has taken advantage of the IRC for the last two.
"It keeps people from freezing to death, it gets mighty cold out here, then you got the wind coming, the cars and trucks coming under them bridges, them big trucks, it blows all that wind right back over this way," Goins said.
IRC doesn't provide beds but they do provide safe shelter, "We say 'hey, come in, we have a chair for you,'" Curtain said.
As hours expanded, so did the number of people coming by.
Curtain said they knew they were going to see an increase, but could have never guessed those numbers would jump from 75-80 people a night to 100-130 people every night.
She said not being an official shelter with beds has allowed them to let more people in on a nightly basis.
"What we feel serves our guests best is the ability to not say, "we're full" so by not having those shelter beds, that allows us to not have to say those words," Curtain said.
Goins said the lack of beds doesn't bother him, "You get you an early morning bath, you get cleaned up, you got some clothes to wash, you can get them washed and dried, whatever you need to do."
He said being able to get off the streets come night time, is more than enough, "It's best to be here than under the bridge or in the back of a police car or even in the jailhouse."
The IRC just recently bought 84 more chairs, so that if temperatures drop in the coming weeks or they continue to see an increase in people, those in need, won't have to go without.