As winter approaches, many students might feel helpless when trying to find cold weather essentials like coats, shelter and food. 

According to USA Today, around 14% of students who attend a four-year university are homeless. 

Although Louisiana does not have the coldest temperatures in the U.S., over the past month temperatures have dropped to the teens some nights. 

Without proper housing, this can cause major issues. 

Jessica Lasiter, the director of Medical Laboratory Science, said long term exposure to the cold is likely to induce hypothermia. 

According to the CDC, hypothermia is caused by prolonged exposures to very cold temperatures. When exposed to cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it’s produced. 

“Providing free jackets or leftover coats to needy students would be of great assistance to them,” Lasiter said. “Other cloth items, such as gloves, caps and mufflers, could also be distributed to students.”

ULM does not have a place where students can pick up items like coats, socks, blankets or gloves if needed. However, donation drives are held by various organizations as it gets cold. 

Last March, 31 Ambassadors held a blanket and coat drive to give to those in need.

The donations went to Grace Place Ministries, a nonprofit that has a soup kitchen and clothing closet.

If students are able, they can go to Grace Place for resources they might need to get through the winter. 

Even though ULM doesn’t have a place to with all the resources needed to get through the winter, they do have a place for students to get food. 

The food pantry is located in the Activity Center and is open to all students from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Fridays.

Some of the foods available are cereal, pancake and muffin mix, canned fruit, pasta, beans, rice, canned vegetables, peanut butter, jelly and many other nonperishable items. 

While ULM does not have a shelter, there are places located near campus that offer shelter to those who need it.  

The Fairhaven Homeless Shelter is a shelter located three miles off campus on Garrett Road. The Monroe YWCA Mary Goss Shelter is also in Monroe. However, you must call (318) 323-1505 for the location, as it is confidential.   

Emily Alacron, a sophomore dental hygiene major, said she lives on campus and is nervous for the winter months because of the massive storm and power outage that occurred in Texas last year. 

“I wish there were more power backups on campus,” Alacron said. “Being on the safe side when a scenario like this develops would help us feel more confident living in school dormitories.”