Our Works of Charity / David Bethuram

Amid winter’s grip, stay warm—and help others in need to do the same

I’m from central Indiana, so I don’t pretend to be an expert on cold weather like those of you from Alaska, North Dakota, Minnesota. But I do know this: Indiana weather can turn on a dime.

Growing up, and later as a young adult, I witnessed dangerous ice storms, the blizzard of 1978, and those bitter stretches when temperatures dipped to nine degrees Fahrenheit with wind chills that felt like 10 below.

January is historically our coldest month, with average overnight temperatures around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and according to the Farmer’s Almanac, the teeth‑chattering cold arrives in mid‑February this year.

When I was young, my mother would say at least once a week during the winter how grateful our family was to have heating. At the time, her comment felt more curious than profound.

My mother’s words still echo in my mind every time I step outside on a particularly frigid day. For people living in poverty without adequate shelter or heating, cold weather isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be devastating.

When our homes get cold, most of us simply turn up the thermostat. Maybe we grumble about the bill, maybe we don’t think twice. We add an extra blanket to the kids’ beds, make sure they have warm socks, or throw on a jacket. But for those living in poverty, “getting warm” can look very different.

For people experiencing homelessness, sleeping outside in freezing temperatures is life‑threatening. Heated shelters across the country struggle to provide enough beds. Some communities have opened warming centers to help people survive bitterly cold nights.

St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bedford, for example, partnered with other churches and civic organizations to open a men’s warming center several years ago after a homeless man died during a severe cold spell. Across the archdiocese, Catholic Charities agencies work with community leaders to support and provide emergency shelter during dangerously low temperatures.

Older adults also face extreme hardship in winter. Many become isolated when icy conditions make it unsafe to leave their homes. For seniors without family support or the means to afford care services, this isolation can be life‑threatening. They are also more susceptible to hypothermia, which can be deadly if not treated quickly, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Families living below the poverty line—especially those with children—face their own challenges, often struggling to keep up with rising heating costs. Too many are forced to live in inadequately heated homes, risking illness and other serious consequences.

Cold weather creates a kind of environmental classism. For low‑income households, energy costs are rising faster than overall incomes. The combination of high heating bills and the health risks of cold weather can be dangerous—and in some cases, deadly. These pressures can trigger a downward economic spiral: inadequate heating leads to health problems, which lead to higher medical costs, which further strain the ability to afford proper shelter, and the cycle continues.

As we prepare for the colder months ahead, I invite you to pause and appreciate the luxury of a warm home. And I encourage you to consider how you might support those who don’t have that same security. Please support the emergency programs of Catholic Charities in your area. I know I am.
 

(David Bethuram is executive director of the archdiocesan Secretariat for Catholic Charities. You can contact him at dbethuram@archindy.org.) †