Man raises funds to bring city’s homeless to hotel during Arctic blast

Click here for updates on this story

    CHICAGO (WBBM) — The negative-degree windchill that has engulfed Chicago is downright unpleasant – but it can also be dangerous, and it probably kept a lot of people in their homes on Sunday.

But what about those who don’t have a home?

As CBS 2’s Marissa Parra reported, it’s a problem compounded by the pandemic, and Jermaine Jordan is on a mission to help.

Thanks to generous donations, he’s been using the funds to drive around the city scouting people who don’t have a place to stay since shelters have lowered capacity during the pandemic.

Jordan and his team on Sunday were seen unloading hot meals to give to the newest guests at the St. Clair Hotel, 162 E. Ontario St.

He said during his trips, he found people with hypothermia – and he even had to take one to the hospital.

“One guy here was covered in snow and a blanket. He could barely move,” Jordan said. “He was like, ‘Man, I would love some food and a bed and somewhere I can take a shower.’”

Jordan continued: “I come from poverty, so I know what it is to be homeless and not having anything, and being out here in this pandemic and this temperature – 4 degrees? Man, it’s terrible out here.”

Jordan is trying to get enough funds to keep the dozens of Chicagoans safe at the hotel and fed for at least a month.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.