Shelter Working To House More Homeless From Freezing Temperatures

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — With temperatures are expected to fall to the freezing point over the next few nights, the Union Rescue Mission is looking to provide more warm beds to people on the streets.

Health officials have issued a winter weather warning for Southern California mountains and valleys as an extremely cold winter storm approaches. The storm dipping into the region from Canada is forecast to bring rain and snow to the area Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday, and snow levels could drop to around the 2,000-foot level.

The Union Rescue Mission, on San Pedro Street, houses 800 people and has cots for about 120 more, but donations are needed to accommodate more homeless, Reverend Andy Bales told KNX 1070's Jan Stevens.

"Lately, we have seen as many families as we have ever seen," Bales said. "Our Hope Gardens Family Center, families are surging out there and I don't know if it's the leftover effects of the recession, or just difficult times, but families are still the fastest growing segment of the homeless population."

Reverend Bales can be reached at (626) 260-4761 or can be found at the Union Rescue Mission on South San Pedro Street.