Into the Cold: Helping the Homeless on the East End

On January 26, as residents hunkered down in their warm homes to watch snow from a massive storm pile up outside, Sag Harbor’s Marit Molin and several volunteers from Hamptons Community Outreach headed out into the elements. With temperatures well below freezing, the group trudged through the South Fork’s wooded areas in search of the homeless who ride out winter in rudimentary shelters. The goal of Molin and her team is to encourage these individuals to accept help and a few nights shelter at motels paid for by her nonprofit. Similarly, at Maureen’s Haven, an advocacy group with community partners across the East End that provide temporary shelter for these individuals in the coldest months of the year, executive director Dan O’Shea has seen great need for services this year. This week Arts & Living Editor Annette Hinkle and news reporter Cailin Riley are joined by Molin and O’Shea, who discuss the challenges of serving this population in light of both the current weather conditions and the political environment.