CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Salvation Army in Corpus Christi has been collecting donations of warm clothing all week in anticipation of dangerously cold weather this weekend.
On Thursday, they drove their disaster relief vehicle -- better known as The Canteen -- to various locations across the city to distribute the coats, blankets, caps, and mittens to the homeless population.
Salvation Army leaders say they were motivated to act by this weekend's forecast.
“It is concerning, because many times homeless individuals — they prefer to stay out in the cold," Salvation Army Community Relations Director Monica Barrera said.
In addition to the clothing, volunteers also brought a weather warning.
"Many of them are not aware of how cold it’s going to get," Barrera said. "So we just want to share the information, educate, and make sure they’re safe.”
The Salvation Army is also using the dining rooms at their men's and women's shelters to create beds for an additional 40 people.
Those beds were full Thursday night, and the charity says they're prepared to continue offering them throughout the duration of the cold snap.
