Atlanta opens second warming shelter due to frigid temperatures

The frigid cold has many people seeking shelter. The city of Atlanta even opened a second warming center on Sunday.

"It's hard, it's very hard," Alex Rodriguez told Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez. "To me, I don't think they know how hard it is when you're homeless."

Rodriguez has been homeless for five years after losing his job in sales.

“Just because we are left out on the streets, with no home, nowhere to go, it doesn’t mean we are different, or any less important than anyone else,” he said.

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The 40-year-old former Marine speaks six languages and is a college graduate. He told Jaquez he never saw himself sleeping on a cot at Central Park Recreation Center, which was forced to open when others reached capacity. 

With pride, Rodriguez made it clear he has a job and said he hopes to have his own place by the end of the month.

But some of the people aren’t as lucky. For now, they’re just grateful they have food, water and a place to rest their head.

"The temperatures are so cold, once it drops below freezing, people could die on the streets," a city official told Jaquez.

But city officials said they will do everything they can to make sure that doesn’t happen.

As for Rodriguez, he said he will be okay, but worries about others.

"That's the part that hurts the most, is seeing family with kids. That makes me cry," he said.

Cox Media Group