Urgent supply distribution to homeless before cold snap hits.
- tjkaio7777
- Jan 26
- 2 min read
Jan 22, 2026
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Community organizations worked urgently to distribute emergency supplies to homeless individuals as dangerously cold temperatures prepared to grip the La Crosse area overnight.
Sue Graf, executive director of What I Need Now, led efforts to hand out supplies outside the La Crosse Public Library and the Reach Center before conditions worsen. The organization focused on providing food, support and safety resources to people without shelter ahead of the extreme weather.
"I genuinely care for each person that we serve, and they know that I care, and we do our best to help people problem solve and keep healthy and warm," Graf said.
The approaching cold weather presents particularly severe challenges for people experiencing homelessness in La Crosse, where shelter options remain extremely limited. The community has only one actual shelter, leaving many vulnerable individuals with few alternatives for staying warm during dangerous weather conditions.
June Hart, who is experiencing homelessness, described the ongoing struggle faced by those without permanent housing.
"There aren't any other alternatives. We only have one actual shelter here in town. There's no way for the homeless to stay warm. It's a year round battle," Hart said.
Graf emphasized that the current weather conditions pose immediate and potentially fatal risks to people forced to remain outdoors. The extreme temperatures, combined with wind chill factors, create life-threatening situations for the most vulnerable community members.
"It's heartbreaking to think of people staying outside, to me even anything below 20. But when it gets so incredibly cold with the wind chill, it is life threatening," Graf said. "Two people did freeze to death last year. I never ever want to see that again."
Health officials advise that people should bundle up as thoroughly as possible and keep their skin covered to avoid frostbite when venturing outdoors during the extreme cold snap.
Article by: Jadius McGhee, Jan 22, 2026, link below.
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