It’s about to get really cold: What about people living outside?

Wind chills are dropping below zero, there’s a chance of the first real snow of the year.

What does that mean for the people in Northern Kentucky who are living outside?

Saturday’s high should hit 33 degrees, and that will be the warmest temperature the region is expected to see for at least a week, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

The low Saturday should be around 17, with wind gusts up to 40 mph and wind chills as low as zero. Winds are expected to continue into Sunday, where we will see a chance of snow and a high of 17 degrees.

Over the next week, NKY is looking at lows as low as 3 degrees and possibly the first significant snowfall of the year.

For those living on the streets, it’s a dire situation.

Exact numbers are difficult to pin down, but there are data sources that shed some light on the size of the homeless population in Kentucky. Almost 4,200 people in Kentucky received various sheltering services in 2022, according to the Kentucky Homeless Management Information System, a 6.6% increase from the 3,941 who received shelter in 2021.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development, on the other hand, indicates there were 3,984 homeless people in various sheltering programs throughout the state of Kentucky in fiscal year 2022, based on point-in-time measures, which log the number of people staying in shelters during the last ten days of January. They increased the following year to 4,766, indicating a upward trend, even if the numbers aren’t anywhere near the 2007 peak of about 8,000.

Emergency Shelter of NKY shared on Facebook that Friday is a “Frantic Friday,” saying that due to the cold snap mixed with the holiday weekend causing government buildings to be closed for Martin Luther King Day on Monday, they plan to be extra busy. The shelter will also expand its daytime services to “help adults stay out of the life-threatening cold weather.”

The shelter shared a few ways to help them assist those living on the streets:

Donate hand warmers: you can do this by dropping them off at 436 W 13th St. in Covington or purchasing them through the shelter’s Amazon wish list.
Donate a night at the emergency shelter: help the shelter cover the cost of housing individuals overnight.

St. Vincent de Paul – Northern Kentucky is hosting a winter coat drive at Erlanger, Florence, Cold Spring and Falmouth locations. The organization said they are in particular need of children’s coats.

The cold can also be tough on those who are housed; energy bills spike when temperatures drop and that can be a difficult expense for some households. The Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission has a Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. This program runs year-round and assists low-income households with energy costs; however, during the winter months, the commission offers a crisis program for those who meet certain criteria. Learn more at nkcac.org.

Here are some ways you can help people experiencing homelessness in the Northern Kentucky region outside of freezing weather:

Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky

What: Low-barrier shelter for men and, during cold months, women

Location: 436 W. 13th St., Covington

Phone: 859-291-4555

Website: emergencyshelternky.org

The shelter welcomes volunteers to cook meals and/or serve guests. To sign up, go to bit.ly/46qkPtw
To volunteer doing things like laundry, greeting guests, organizing donations and more, go to emergencyshelternky.org/help-out/volunteer/ and fill out the form at the bottom of the page; you can also email Britt Schroeder at britt.schroeder@esnky.net.
To make a monetary donation to the shelter, go to to bit.ly/412F13X
If you’d like to donate items, go to this website to find a list of items the shelter needs the most and how to drop them off: emergencyshelternky.org/help-out/wish-list/
For any other questions about how to volunteer or donate, email info@esnky.net

Welcome House of Northern Kentucky

What: Shelter for single women over 18 with and without children

Location: 205 W. Pike St., Covington

Phone: 859-431-8717

Website: welcomehouseky.org

How to help:

Donate a meal or give a monetary donation here: www.welcomehouseky.org/donate/
To donate your time at Welcome House doing things like sorting donations or preparing shelter activities, go to www.welcomehouseky.org/about-us/volunteer-application-form/
For more information about how to get involved at the Welcome House, go to welcomehouseky.org/get-involved

Fair Haven Rescue Mission

What: Shelter for men 18 or older who are experiencing homelessness. Must have a picture ID and pass a Breathalyzer test for admission.

Location: 260 Pike St., Covington

Phone: 859-491-1027

Website: fairhavenmission.org

How to help: