Homeless Merced residents seek shelter from the storms

For those in the community who live outside, the Merced shelter is prepared to help them keep dry and warm during what has been predicted as the most flooding the region has seen in the past 20 years.

On Saturday, when the first part of the storm was expected to begin, a group of individuals who live outdoors stood under the gazebo at Applegate Park as a slight drizzle came down. They used blankets to cover their legs, and some draped plastic bags over their clothes to keep them dry.

Charles Moreskine, 42, says he goes to the Merced Rescue Mission or D Street Shelter to sleep sometimes if they have beds available. He said when it rains he tries to find shelter in places “like a bridge area or bathroom.”

If there isn’t room available in the shelters, Moreskine says, he tries to sleep somewhere safe with someone he trusts. To make sure nobody steals their belongings they take turns sleeping, he said.

“We try to help each other if we can,” Moreskine said. “It’s kind of like a community a little bit.”

Every night, the Merced Rescue Mission opens at 6 p.m. and has room for about 19 men, said Anthony Choza, guest service manager for the Rescue Mission. Although the Rescue Mission doesn’t take women or children, the D Street Shelter, located on 15th and D streets, has room for a little more than 50 women, children and men.

The D Street Shelter also opens at 6 p.m. every day of the week, Choza said, and “gets packed all the time.”

“With the weather like this we’re going to get more people, and we’re waiting for them,” he said.

When temperatures hit 40 degrees and below or it’s raining, Choza said, a warming center in Merced is open that can fit at least 17 people. Choza said people aren’t told the location of the shelter, but anybody who wants to stay the night there can go to the Rescue Mission and be taken to the center.

People from the Rescue Mission also go out to parks and along Bear Creek to let individuals know they’re open, Choza said. Even though they know it’s raining, he said, there will still be some a lot who don’t come to the shelter because they have pets that aren’t allowed inside the shelters.

“Because they have a lot of pets, they’d rather be out there,” Choza said. “People love their pets.”

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays the Rescue Mission gives clothes out at 3 p.m. They also have shoes and blankets available.

This story was originally published January 8, 2017 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Homeless Merced residents seek shelter from the storms."