Joseph King has been on the streets for years. He lost his job and home when his dad died. On cold nights, he sleeps at the Visalia Rescue Mission, "When I'm sleeping out there in the cold by myself, it is cold."
The shelter has been packed lately. On some nights, more than a hundred people show up looking for a warm meal and a safe place to sleep.
Jessica Cavale is with the Visalia Rescue Mission. She keeps track of the numbers, "It's been busting at the seams and we've been trying to meet the need the best we can."
The men's shelter has 60 beds and they fill up fast but Cavale says the rescue mission doesn't turn anyone away. "We have extra bedding, mattresses... we move tables out of our dining hall and house people in there and then the warming center is open," Cavale said.
The warming center is new. It's open whenever the the temperature drops below 40 degrees. Dean Harper uses it and said he's thankful, "God puts it in people's hearts to provide a place like this that is a safe haven and people keep an eye on you all night."
As for Joseph King, he says he has a warm place back east, far away from Visalia. But for now, his home is the street, in the cold and this place is his shelter, "I ain't got no complaints, 'cause living out there on the streets, this is paradise."
The Visalia Rescue Mission also has a women's shelter, it has about 30 beds.
TXT 24
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