"For the past month, despite January's frigid temperatures, she says she has been able to keep warm by covering her tent in fabric and sharing it with others who have found themselves homeless. We put a lot of blankets and use long candles. This tent used to be twice the size, but we downsized it a lot because of the cold it works well, said Claudia, who did not give amNewYork her last name."
"Last night, we were very warm until my friend Ivan went out to work, and it woke us all up. Claudia shared that she usually splits the tent with at least two others to stay warm; however, she says her group has conceded that the snow will be too much for them to bear. My street brother, Hank, right now, he's out panhandling so we can afford a room tonight to get out of the cold, Claudia said."
Claudia huddled inside a blanket-filled tent near Gramercy Park as a bitter winter storm hit New York. She is 29, from East Harlem, and has been on and off the street since age 17. She and others keep the tent warm by covering it with fabric, using many blankets and long candles, and reducing the tent's size to retain heat. She typically shares the tent with at least two people. Her companion Hank is panhandling to afford a room for the night because the snow will be too severe to remain outside. Claudia is an amputee who uses a wheelchair and says she was discharged early after being hit by a train at Grand Street station.
Read at www.amny.com
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