TULSA, Okla. — Two weeks into operating, Tulsa's first ever designated winter shelter is already overwhelmed with interest.
Julie Dawn has been homeless off and on for some time, but consistently for the last six months. She spent a few nights in the shelter the last week of November, but ever since, she's struggled to get inside.
"They drew random names up to 30 people and let 30 people in and I wasn't one of those people, and I've been out here ever since," said Dawn. "That was about five days ago. The weather's really changed, it's really gotten a lot colder."
It was 37 degrees when 2 News spoke with Dawn and her friends, sitting outside the shelter.
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She said she had spent the night there, camped outside, hoping for a miracle.
“It’s not enough," said Dawn of the new shelter. "I mean at any given time there’s 50 people behind the buildings, beside the buildings, inside charging their phones, just between Sheridan and Memorial.”
The shelter, operated by CREOKS and the BeHeard Movement, opened on Nov. 17. To start, they made 50 beds available.
WATCH: BeHeard prepares to open first ever winter homeless shelter
As the weather gets dangerous, they will make room for about 250. The shelter will also allow pets to get as many people inside and out of the cold.
Even still, Dawn and her friends don't have many options.
"My feet are frozen, my toes are cold," said Chris Potter.
Nuzzled in between Potter and another woman, a few-month-old puppy named Rotter, covered with blankets.
We asked Dawn to describe what it's like to be outside on the nights she can't get into a shelter.
“It’s like being locked inside your freezer at home, probably," she said. "It is hard because if you go up here… we’ll go to one spot, get our blankets and pillows and coats on and gloves on and about the time, you’ll hear *whoop whoop* ‘everybody move, pick up and move.’"
We reached out to the BeHeard team and the city to get specifics on capacity over the last few days, but haven't heard back.
If you are looking to get involved or help support the winter shelter, visit their website here.
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