IBERIA PARISH — A stretch of colder weather is pushing local shelters into high alert across Iberia Parish, as advocates warn that freezing temperatures can quickly create dangerous conditions for people without stable housing or reliable utilities.
Staff at the Iberia Homeless Shelter say colder weather often forces people experiencing homelessness to take risks just to stay warm — sometimes with serious consequences.
“Another concern is going into abandoned houses and starting a fire,” said Thaddeus Robinson, housing director at the Iberia Homeless Shelter. “So it becomes dangerous going into an abandoned house and carbon dioxide poisoning. So it becomes not only the weather — not only the temperature — but surviving out there homeless.”
Robinson said outreach efforts increase when temperatures drop, with staff and volunteers distributing blankets, scarves, and care packages to people living outdoors in preparation for severe conditions.
The shelter primarily serves men, housing about 20 people at a time, but Robinson said the organization works closely with social services to help women and families find temporary housing options during extreme weather events.
“This is a men’s shelter, so it would be no problem housing men,” Robinson said. “When it comes to women with children, we’ll correlate that with social services, and we’ll work out a place for them to stay.”
Robinson said the shelter relies on calls from the community to help connect people with resources, including short-term housing and case management.
“We’ll get a phone call. They can call us at 337-369-9900. We’ll do an assessment,” he said.
Beyond emergency shelter, Robinson said many situations can be resolved through small but timely interventions that help people move off the streets and toward stability.
“Sometimes a person that’s out there homeless, it’s because they just don’t have an ID,” Robinson said. “It would take me 10 to 15 minutes to get on the phone, call some of our churches or donors, request $35 to get him an ID. That $35 helps him get a job, save his money, and become self-sufficient. Sometimes it just takes something like that to get somebody off the streets.”
Shelter officials encourage anyone without heat, power, or a safe place to stay — or anyone concerned about someone exposed to the cold — to reach out as soon as possible to prevent emergencies before conditions worsen.
The Iberia Homeless Shelter accepts monetary donations as well as supplies year-round. Anyone interested in coordinating a drop-off can call ahead or visit the shelter in person at 307 Robertson St., New Iberia, LA 70560.
