ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — The Least of These Ministries’ warming bus, parked outside the organization’s permanent location on Luck Avenue, is open seven nights a week from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m., giving any unhoused individuals in the City of Roanoke a chance to escape the bitter cold settling over the area this weekend.
Pinpoint Weather: Bitterly cold Monday, warm-up ahead
Available nightly from November until March, the bus offers a place to sleep, charge devices, and most importantly, stay warm, particularly on the days like Sunday when temperatures never get above freezing.
“With the temperatures, this is the difference between life and death,” said TLOT founder and executive director Dawn Sandoval. “So that’s really what we’re trying to do is to create some safety and some warmth for these individuals until their circumstances do change.”
But even with the warmth provided every night, Sandoval wishes there was more than could be done, especially for some of the older individuals who aren’t able to make it anywhere else during the day, often staying on the lot until the bus reopens in the evening…