Point-in-Time Count, administered every January, found more than 1,000 people in Atlanta who were not in any temporary hous-ing, up from 738 the year before. (Survey data for 2025 isn’t yet released.) “Our clients have addiction behaviors, is-sues with their mental health,” says Torrance Wynn, a street medicine resource specialist with Mercy Care. “But when temperatures drop, our number one concern is, Will they be alive the next morning?” Mercy Care’s street teams provide a range of direct services for Atlantans experiencing homelessness. The organization, founded in Ireland by the Catholic Sisters of Mercy, who opened Atlanta’s first hospital in 1880, provides primary care services at its clinics, as well as street services ranging from flu vaccinations to daily medicine drop-offs. From there, Mercy Care staff will offer clients more long-term resources such as transi-tional housing and mental healthcare. But the first step, says Mercy Care CEO Kathryn Lawler, is meeting people’s “basic human dignity and basic human needs.” When it comes to cold, that means pro-viding whatever they need to stay alive. The City of Atlanta, surrounding counties, and various churches open warming shel-ters when temperatures drop, but getting people there and back requires serious lo-gistics. Warming shelters fill up, and each county has its own regulations, including the temperature threshold that dictates when shelters open. “Churches and shelters open when they want, but [the counties] range from 38 to 32 degrees, and it depends on precipitation,” says Meredith Swartz, Mercy Care’s chief planning officer. “Plus, they all use a different forecast.” Mercy Care staff provides MARTA cards or drives people to pickup areas, where buses transport them to the shelters (and return them, as shelters generally close during the day). That’s if they can convince them to go. Many homeless people are deeply wary of public shelters—with good reason, notes Michelle Keith, a street medicine case man-ager. “It can be really traumatizing to be in an unfamiliar place, especially if you’re struggling with trauma,” she says. “Some people prefer to stay where they know they are safe.” Some people decline warming shelters because they can’t bring pets; others worry their belongings will be stolen while they’re gone. Women who have fled domestic vio-lence may fear bumping into their abuser. For those who prefer to sleep outdoors, Mercy Care provides hand warmers, blankets, and even mats made by volunteers that provide some protection against the cold ground.
Atlanta Magazine Atlanta Magazine February 2025: Page 21
