As the holidays come around, unhoused people in New Orleans are relying more on the support of community organizations to help support their mental and physical wellbeing. 

“It’s rough,” said Jerry Collins, a volunteer at Grace at the Green Light. Collins lost access to housing in 2021 and was rehoused this year. “You’re really barely eating. You barely have any clothes to wear.”

Grace at the Green Light is a non-profit that is open 365 days a year and feeds about 220 people every day, most of whom are unsheltered, according to the group’s founder, Chris Beary. Collins helps the organization by cleaning and serving food.

“I love this place because it helps people,” Collins said. “I was raised in a Christian home, I believe in giving back and helping. That’s how I get my blessings.”

The organization — based on North Rampart Street on the edge of the French Quarter — has a main room with a TV where volunteers serve coffee and hot meals. Curtis Price and Nelson Encalade, both of whom are unhoused, were enjoying a conversation with one another as people fellowship throughout the room on Friday. 

“I could come here to see how people live, and also just to stay warm,” Encalade said. Temperatures in the city dipped into the high 30s and low 40s in the days leading up to this week. 

Price spoke about the challenges the unhoused face towards the end of the year. 

“The weather,” Price said. “You don’t have places where you can come inside and get out of the cold.” Price also said fear, crime and mental health are big issues. 

Encalade spoke about the loneliness many feel during the holiday season.

“Some of them [unhoused people] right now, they may have not made amends with their families,” Encalade said. “Some of them are probably not allowed to go back to their family.”

But he added that there is a strong sense of community among the city’s unhoused, despite their circumstances. 

“One thing about homelessness, when it comes to holidays, they learn how to blend together,” Encalade said. “They learn how to depend on one another.”

Sarah Parks, executive director at Green Light, said consistency is crucial to the organization’s mission, as a lot of service organizations tend to be closed during the holidays. 

“Staying open is an important part of who we are,” Parks said. She added that the organization will stay open on Christmas morning to give out winter gear — coats and hats as well as extra food and snacks. Parks emphasized the importance of community contributions and collaboration with nonprofits that work with people who are unhoused. 

“I recommend that community members who wanna get involved, get involved with a local organization instead of doing things on their own,” Parks said. “We’re aware of the dynamics of our unhoused population and their needs, and safety wise as well.”

After eating breakfast, Price went to the Rebuild Center at St. Joseph, a hub for three nonprofit groups that serve people who are unhoused: The Harry Tompson Center, a low-barrier day shelter that provides hygiene, healthcare and hospitality services; Lantern Light, which provides access to mail, social security and SNAP benefits; and Depaul USA, which works to help the recently housed to maintain their access to new homes. 

“We are closed for the holiday break,” said Paisley Kelley, communications director at the Harry Tompson Center. “Because of that, we try really hard to load up everybody before the break through our Christmas Bazaar.”

The Christmas Eve Bazaar takes place at the Rebuild Center on Christmas Eve from 7:30 am until supplies run out. The group will provide hygiene products, warm clothes, blankets and hand warmers in bulk to those who need it.  

“Everything you could need for the time that we’re closed, we try to really make sure that they are loaded up with that,” Kelley said.

“A lot of people forget about unhoused folks’ needs after Christmas,” Kelley said. “Continuing to donate warm weather items like sweaters, coats, blankets, gloves, hats, scarves as well as those everyday hygiene items, is key to helping our folks make it through the cold months.”

Nate Fields, director of the city’s Office of Homeless Services and Strategy, said outreach teams have been working to make sure people are connected to the services they need. He said unhoused people have trouble getting out of the cold weather and lack access to proper nutrition during this time of year. 

“We haven’t forgotten them,” Fields said. “They are our neighbors and are important as well as everybody else here in this community.”

Here are resources unhoused folks can access during the holidays and ways other residents can help those in need over the holidays:

  • New Orleans Mission is a non-profit that serves meals to the unhoused. They are accepting donations for food items, hygiene and clothes. They are located at 1130 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard.
  • Grace at the Greenlight is still accepting volunteers for its daily meal services, which will take place on Christmas Eve and Christmas. They are located at 400 N Rampart Street.
  • The Harry Tompson Center is hosting its Christmas Ever Bazaar on Tuesday, Dec. 24 starting at 7:30 am and lasting until they run out of supplies. They are offering hygiene products, warm clothes, blankets and hand warmers in bulk to those in need.

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