TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) -- With everything they own on their backs, dozens of people filed into St Stephen's Episcopal Church Wednesday night. It's one of the only places in Terre Haute where people like Paul Walters can get out of the cold.
"It means survival to me. I mean it's cold, bitter cold out there and I'm diabetic. I have to worry about my feet and circulation and things like that and my heart," Walters said.
He said he has been able to get a bed at the warming centers 3 nights in a row. He said without it, he doesn't know if he would survive.
"Otherwise I'd be living in my tent out in the middle of nowhere and a tent, you can warm a little bit with candles and you got hand warmers, but when it gets that cold through the night nothing's going to keep you alive," he said.
Reach services is running the warming center. Since Saturday the organization has been serving warm food, giving people a warm place to sleep for the night, and even helping them with resources to get back on their feet.
"With this warming center, we're giving them assessments. We are trying to provide them with additional services so we can combat the homelessness," Melissa Gray, Program Manager of Veteran Services, for Reach Servies said.
Meanwhile, Walters said all of the help is an answer to his prayers.
"Living on the street as long as I have you meet some evil people and this just restores your faith," he said. "This is an answer to prayers. These people are angels."
If you or someone you know needs help, or if you would like to donate or volunteer, you can call 812-232-6305
