STOW, Ohio — Akron's Peter Maurin Center is preparing for another rough winter for the unsheltered homeless of Summit County and is working with four communities to collect crucial warming items to help protect this vulnerable population.
Peter Maurin Center Director David Churbock told News 5 the unsheltered homeless will be in dire need of protection as the sub-freezing temperatures move in.
"In Summit County alone there are 200 people living under bridges, or in tents, or in parking garages," Churbock said. “One of our ministries goes out in the field and we have personally rescued people frozen in their camps. I could introduce you to people who have missing fingers, missing toes, missing ear lobes."
“We bring them in to protect them. They come in, they have indoor plumbing, they have security, they get a nice warm meal." Churbock added. "Last year was a record year, we were open 40 nights last year, which is a record, we had never been open more than 27 nights previously.”
Churbock said he's pleased to be working with the communities of Stow, Silver Lake, Monroe Falls and Cuyahoga Falls to again launch the "No One Should Sleep Out in the Cold" initiative. The program is collecting donated warming items like gloves, hats, underwear, sleeping bags, tents and more for distribution to the local unsheltered homeless.
Stow Mayor John Pribonic told News 5 it's an honor to once again work with the other communities this holiday season and serve a part of the population that can be difficult to approach.
“It really started off as kind of a challenge to each other amongst residents also," Pribonic said. "That segment of population does not want to be recognized but they still have a need. So they don’t want to be identified and I fully understand that."
“It’s a very basic premise, no questions asked, come as you are, take what you need," Pribonic added. “We all joined together, we made something happen and I think at the end of the day as a competition, look at what we did.”
Information on how you can help the Peter Maurin Center can be found on its website.
The "No One Should Sleep Out in the Cold" initiative will be collecting warming items through Dec. 16 and has also set up two drive-thru campaign dates. Donors can drop off warming items at Stow city hall and Silver Lake village hall on Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. and at Cuyahoga Falls and Monroe Falls city hall on Saturday, December 10, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m..
Donors can drop off boots, hoodies, flashlights, batteries, backpacks, hand warmers, socks, gloves, underwear, meal cards, Akron Metro bus passes, tents, sleeping bags and monetary donations.
More information on the program can be found on the City of Stow website.
