Warmed by a thin insulation of newspaper on a bed of cardboard, huddled beneath old coats and torn blankets, curled up on icy sidewalks. Too cold to move, but nowhere to go anyway.
This is winter for the homeless.
There are nearly 1,600 homeless people in Gainesville - more than a quarter of whom are under the age of 18 - and only about 350 shelter beds, according to Project Grace, the city's 10-year plan to end homelessness in Gainesville.
But the City of Gainesville and Alachua County have each given $25,000 to the Cold Night Shelter Program, which funds temporary extra shelter for the homeless when the weather is 45 degrees and below from December to March.
The combined $50,000 will be divided among local organizations that already care for the homeless. Organizations like St. Francis House and the Alachua County Housing Authority can apply for funding until Nov. 16.
Any nonprofit organization that can accommodate homeless people is eligible for the funding, said Teresa Osoba, Gainesville's housing and development supervisor.
Kent Vann, executive director of St. Francis House, said in the event of a freeze warning, he will never deny someone in need.
"Everyone deserves a place to go on a cold night without being turned away," he said.
Vann is applying for funding from the program for the third year in a row. He has never been denied.
This year, he said, he hopes to get enough money from the program for 60 more cots.
Any extra funding would go to blankets, food and overhead costs like heating.
St. Francis House houses about 35 residents at a time but can support an additional 100 if necessary, said Vann.
Vann said on a typical night below 45 degrees, about 60 extra people come to the house. They sleep on cots inside and are given blankets and food during their stay.
He said college towns with sky-high rent for even substandard housing are not good places to live without money.
The Alachua County Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless said on its Web site, "It is sadly ironic that there are people sleeping on the streets, in woods and in parking lots amid a sea of 'for rent' signs."
