In less than a week, it will officially be the spring season. It doesn’t quite feel like it with the recent cold spell, but the days will be getting warmer.

When it’s cold at night like this week, and the evening temperature drops below 37 degrees, the Warming Center opens for the local homeless to stay overnight.

On Tuesday, the LDN wrote a piece about LaGrange-Troup County Homeless Coalition volunteer Renay Hinson.

Not only does she volunteer at the Warming Center, but she also keeps clothes, food and personal hygiene items in her vehicle’s trunk to give to homeless people that she sees while driving.

She also has given her phone number to some so they can call her when they need her. Hinson said she gets calls at all hours of the day.

She said she knows they appreciate her taking time out of her day to spend with them.

One of the hard things she said about working with the homeless is knowing in the warmer months many of them do not have a place to go in the evenings.

They don’t have guaranteed food or a shower either.

She said it is hard knowing that she can’t take them home with her during the warmer months. Many are trying to help. In 2017, Action Ministries and the homeless coalition worked together to try to provide housing for men and women.

Some may possibly find it surprising that we have homeless people in LaGrange, but that’s the sad reality.

Volunteering like Hinson is a great way to help give back to these men and women. We’re sure they appreciate her kindness and wish others will follow her lead.