OTTUMWA, Iowa (KYOU) - More than 50 people crowd into Blessing Soup Kitchen daily, but it’s not just for food.

Staff members say the space where most people come to get food has become a place for warmth.

“70 to 100 a day...actually it is more people coming in since it’s gotten colder,” said Sheri Locke of Blessing Soup Kitchen. “Well, it is warm here and people come at 11:00. They’ll burst through the door, I mean they are both hungry and they want to get warm,” Locke said.

Returning visitor, Amy Garrett said she was cold, without shelter and running out of options as warming centers are only open for a few hours.

“We have absolutely no where for us to stay or even get warm except for the soup kitchen when we eat lunch,” Garrett said.

Most of the places are only open for certain busi

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