Chad Campbell, Executive Director of the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House in Sioux Falls, says the facility set a record this week.

"On Monday night we had a record set---housing 93 men, 15 women and the seven family units were filled."

Campbell says the hot weather is responsible for the increase in guests.

"We have our cold weather policies and now we have to consider our hot weather policies because we reached 95 degrees on Tuesday in the Sioux Empire. The humidity was very high. We had thunderstorms. All those different type of things. With the weather being so unpredictable, a lot of the guests are coming in to seek shelter, get cooled off because they're being outside---coming in to use our services---wash their clothes, take cold showers, get hygiene set for this time of year."

Campbell says mental illness continues to be a problem among the homeless.

"Our goal is to work with our partners to get our guests connected to those services so they can start talking to those individuals about the problems they're facing. They get connected with the agencies that can provide the medications to help stabilize. If we can help stabilize them, then we can re introduce them back into society where they can get jobs, homes and things like that. If we can't stabilize the mental health, it's difficult to move forward."

So far, Campbell says no one has been turned away due to the record breaking numbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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