MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — With temperatures dropping, homeless shelters are gearing up to keep people from freezing in the streets. 

What You Need To Know

  • The day shelter at The Gathering Church in Middletown is taking donations like sleeping bags and winter clothes to help people living in the streets this winter

  • Debbie Wells, the shelter director, said they also plan to extend hours and services

  • The director said they're also working with the city of Middletown to help people find a place to stay overnight

“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever had to do in my life” said Deborah Isbell, who told Spectrum News she'd been living on the streets for five years straight. “I’m stuck out here, and I can’t seem to get unstuck."

She packed up her things and headed to a nearby long-term shelter.

“I'm getting off drugs, going to see my therapist, going to see my psychiatrist and finally my reward from Jesus Christ is he got me a place to live,” said Isbell, who was tearful, concerned about people who might not get that chance. 

“I’m worried about the people that’s still out here because they have no place to go and a lot of them are gonna freeze to death,” said Isbell.

Debbie Wells is concerned, too. She runs the day shelter at the gathering church in Middletown. 

“What we try to do is provide survival needs, we gather as much as we can as far as blankets, sleeping bags, cold weather clothing,” said Wells. “We are able to extend our hours a little bit, we have an additional staff person here now so that helps us to kinda expand our services."

She said they’ll use those services to help find overnight or long-term shelters for people like Isbell, who said she hoped what she’s doing will help someone, too. 

“I’m going to start living a brand new life and I pray my kid follows my lead cause I love her and I love everybody out here, too,” said Isbell.

Organizers said they’re also working with the city of Middletown and area churches for donations to help keep people still in the streets in freezing temperatures.