Part of an occasional series.
Katie Nelson knelt by the foot of a small tent tucked behind bare tall trees on a snow-covered field on the south side of Des Moines. Spotted nearby were a silver Christmas tree with strands of green ribbon and piles of children’s strollers. A turquoise doormat stuck out from the frosty, muddy ground.
Nelson, bundled up in a winter jacket with matching bright yellow rain boots, was met with soft voices that emerged from the tent’s opening. The burning embers from a cigarette glowed inside.
Nelson, a homeless care manager at Primary Health Care (PHC), introduced herself once more to the three women huddled together and told them about a brief survey she and her other teammates were conducting. The women agreed to participate, and Nelson pulled out her cellphone from her pocket and pulled up the list of questions. She told them it would take only a few minutes and that they could provide as much — or as little — information as they wanted.
At the end, she said, they would each receive a $5 gift card to QuikTrip and care packages, which included snacks, water bottles and socks.