DURHAM, N.C. — Cold winter weather is especially risky for people experiencing homelessness. According to the nonprofit Durham Rescue Mission, approximately 2,000 people in the Triangle are out on the street on any given night.

What You Need To Know

  • About 2,000 people in the Triangle are unsheltered on any given night

  • Durham Rescue Mission welcomes anyone into their shelter when there’s severe weather

  • The nonprofit also offers transportation to the shelter

The Durham Rescue Mission has designated Friday night a “white flag night,” which means people can come in off the street for a hot meal and a bed for the night. However, they hope that leads to much more than just a one-night stay.

“There’s going to be many, many gallons of soup made in the kitchen here after lunch and there’s mats that are being put on the floor here,” Ernie Mills Jr., the vice president of development at the Durham Rescue Mission, said.

It was all hands on deck on Friday as the Durham Rescue Mission prepared to open a warm shelter once again.

“During times like this when the white flag is out, when there’s weather that’s actually deadly, we open our doors for people who aren’t our clients, people who are living unsheltered. We want everyone to be able to get in out of the cold, so we make special preparations for them as well,” Mills said.

The organization averages about 400 clients a day, offering long-term programs, but those numbers spike during severe weather.

“It puts a little strain on the normal routine and the normal flow of our resources,” Mills said.

Mills is up for the challenge because the shelter’s goals hit home for him. Mills’ grandfather struggled with addiction, a situation that often leads to homelessness, which is why his dad started the Durham Rescue Mission almost 50 years ago.

While the organization offers a safe place during severe weather, Mills says that can often lead people to other doors.

“So you come in seeking refuge from the cold. You learn of a program that could actually help you re-establish some stability in your life and then wait a minute. There’s a scholarship? I can go to college? It starts these wheels turning of hope and possibility. It’s endless,” Mills said.

The nonprofit usually makes rounds right before a severe weather event and asks people if they’d like a ride to the shelter for the night. If you or someone you know needs safe shelter in the Raleigh-Durham area, call 919-688-9641, ext. 5034.