(Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach)
A Lincoln social service non-profit is stepping up to meet the need of the city’s homeless population, as winter conditions in southeast Nebraska are flat out dangerous.
Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach, located on 2121 N 27th St, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to provide services Lincolnites in need. Typically the organization is closed Thursdays, and doesn’t provide emergency items until lunch or dinner, but now they will all day.
Executive Director Alynn Sampson spoke with KLIN News and described what they are seeing in the kitchen with winter weather ravaging the city over the last week, “We are seeing individuals experiencing homelessness, in need of many supplies to make it in the cold weather.”
Sampson said this increase in need, is highlighting the issue of affordable housing in the city.
“That’s the most difficult part. We’re working year round to try to get people housed and find places for them. When it gets cold like this, it really highlights just how many folks are really in need of housing,” said Sampson, “having to either go to People’s City Mission, sleep outside, or try to find someone they could sleep indoors with. We have folks sleeping in cars, and it’s just a really difficult time when it gets this bitterly and dangerously cold.”
As conditions are expected to be like they are for several more days, Sampson is making clear their door are wide open, “We want this to be a safe refuge from the cold. We always have coffee on right away in the morning. We try to provide snacks along with our lunch and dinner. Our fireplace is always on so that people can get warm. We have showers here, laundry services… You don’t even need to be receiving services from us. If you just need to get out of the cold, you can come here Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 6:30. You can stay all day.”
Matt Talbot doesn’t offer overnight stays in their facility, but Sampson said they don’t leave those in need without a paddle, and tried to connect folks with People’s City Mission.
“We are really trying to convince those who are out on the streets, there is a place for them to go, and they should seek shelter until it gets a little warmer,” she said.
Sampson left us with a harrowing story.
“We took someone to the hospital on Sunday night because they had frostbite on all 10 of their toes… People are out there trying to survive,” Sampson said. “We have blankets, we have coats, we have gloves, socks, hand warmers, foot warmers, to try to get people everything they could possibly need to try to survive a night if they are staying out on the streets.”
For more information, visit mtko.org.