LISTEN: Subzero Anchorage temps a matter of life and death for those experiencing homelessness

The dorm room at Brother Francis Shelter. (Photo courtesy of Catholic Social Services.)

It has been cold in Alaska lately, and while that can be uncomfortable or inconvenient for some, it’s a threat to life and limb for Alaskans without a reliable, warm place to sleep.

In Anchorage, more and more homeless residents are showing up at the city’s Brother Francis Shelter seeking beds. But the shelter’s resources are limited and, as the cold spell lingers, life has become even more desperate for Anchorage’s most vulnerable.

David Rittenberg, with Catholic Social Services, is director of the Brother Francis Shelter. He spoke with Alaska Public Media’s Casey Grove.

LISTEN HERE:

a portrait of a man outside

Casey Grove is host of Alaska News Nightly, a general assignment reporter and an editor at Alaska Public Media. Reach him atcgrove@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Caseyhere

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