CLEVELAND — With Thanksgiving just one day away and more cold temperatures on the way, nonprofits continue to get out into the community to help make sure everyone is taken care of this holiday season.
On Wednesday afternoon, the nonprofit Homeless Hookup CLE handed out 150 Thanksgiving dinners to those in downtown Cleveland looking for a fresh meal.
Homeless Hookup CLE handed out those Thanksgiving dinners from Grindstone Tap House in Berea with support and funding from Cleveland Bikers for Charity.
On top of food, the team handed out hats, socks and other clothes to help keep those without a home warm this winter.
“It’s one of the busiest times of the year,” nonprofit founder Dean Roff said. “It’s not about being homeless, it’s about life or death. It's a survival situation.”
While a lot of focus this time of year is placed on the need for food and clothes, it’s not the only need for 2021.
Roff told News 5 that Narcan, the medicine that treats drug overdoses in emergencies, has become a popular handout for his nonprofit, especially around the holidays.
It comes at a time when local leaders continue to see an almost record-breakingnumber of overdoses in 2021.
“It’s no mystery why the overdose rates spike this year,” Roff added. “It’s a big time for family, it’s a big time for giving, and a lot of people don't have that. If you don't have that source of caring, it’s going to make you sad.”
To donate or to learn more about Homeless Hookup CLE, click here.
