While you may be enjoying the mild temperatures during the day, the D.C. Department of Human Services said it may be colder out at night than you think.
“Here we are in the middle of November, and while it’s a relatively mild day, we are in the middle of hypothermia season,” said Laura Zeilinger, D.C.’s Director of the Department of Human Services, speaking in a video released from Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office.
While you’re warm inside at night, it is in the 30s and 40s outside, so the Department of Human Services has been getting shelters ready to safely house more people, and they’re relying on the public to help them find people who need their services.
“If you see somebody outside, it’s OK to ask them ‘Are you OK? Do you need help? Is there anything I can do?’” Zeilinger said.
She said if you’re worried the person can’t answer you, or you don’t feel comfortable with their situation, you can call the shelter hotline to get a wellness check.
“They will send out somebody to do that check and try to help connect them to a shelter bed or place they can come in safely or anything that they might need,” Zeilinger said.
You can call the shelter hotline directly at 202-399-7093 or call 311 and ask for the Shelter hotline.
