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(Des Moines, IA) -- Nationally, about 700 homeless people freeze to death each year. But a local organization is working to prevent that in Central Iowa.
“We are providing hats, coats, gloves, winter tents as temporary shelters, lots of blankets, and then heater systems,” said Joe Stevens.
Stevens, with the nonprofit Joppa, says the group has delivered between 250 and 300 propane heaters to people experiencing homelessness. He says most unhoused individuals do go to shelters during the most dangerous cold.
Stevens also says Joppa helped 117 people secure permanent housing over the past year.