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Night Ministry Street Medicine team steps up for Chicago's homeless during extreme cold

Chicago's Night Ministry provides help, hope in cold weather
Chicago's Night Ministry provides help, hope in cold weather 01:51

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The bitterly cold weather in Chicago this week has put the city's homeless population at risk — but one organization is braving the frigid temperatures to help save lives.

Despite the blistering cold and brutal circumstances that awaited them, the Street Medicine team with the Night Ministry moved with little to no hesitation as they geared up to extend a helping hand to the city's most vulnerable.

The organization's mission to help Chicago's homeless has been consistent for nearly 50 years. It is on days like Tuesday, when the wind chill dropped below zero, that their services matter the most. 

On Tuesday, the Street Medicine team's mobile unit headed to a nearby encampment on the Chicago's Northwest Side, where they offered everything from extra gloves and hats to medical supplies — as well as information on housing support and healthcare.

"These are not the temperatures to battle," said Carol Sharp, president and chief executive officer of the Night Ministry. "It's the space to find warmth, to find shelter."

CBS News Chicago has been on the ground with the Street Medicine team in the past. But recent trends show the types of services it offers are becoming more critical.

The homeless population has recently an uptick of 18% nationwide, and according Sharp, the situation on the local level is just as startling

"Just this past year we served 5,000 individuals, and that does not include the number of our contacts," said Sharp. "Our contacts are over 20,000 contacts."

Last year, the Street Medicine team offered services in 55 different locations across Chicago. Through their outreach programs,  the team was able to house 105 people.

"My hope is that we are not judging individuals by their current circumstance, but moreover attempting to be neighbors," Sharp said. 

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