 A winter is here and not everyone has a home. The homeless tend to be forgotten during these times, but that won't be the case if one organization has its way. Red Lake Homeless Shelter had its 2016 Memorial Feast and fired, remember, the homeless who are no longer with us. Hedy Clotter has the story. If you're hungry, the Red Lake Homeless Shelter has you covered. The National Homeless Persons Memorial Day usually takes place on December 21st because it's the first day of winter and the longest day of the year. Around this time of year, it gets very cold. And some of the people that are homeless tend to pass away due to the fact that they are homeless. This is the 11th annual Memorial Feast and fired for friends and families to pay their respect to those affected by homelessness. The purpose of the feast is to honor the homeless who passed away during the winter due to exposure. Before the meal, there was a prayer and a song, and a spirit dish was served, allowing tobacco to add to the fire for the lives that were lost. The menu featured turkey, pork roast, bread, and dessert. The Red Lake staff started prepping the meal last night and it was open to residents, Red Lake band, and community members. Community members coming in for a free meal and that's why we have the feast. All the food that was provided out there today was all received through donations. Minnesota native Arlie Whiff has worked as an advocate for almost eight years and knows what it's like to experience homelessness firsthand. I'm paying back some of what was given to me in the past, you know, from help, you know, I've been helped by strangers in the past even just right out on the street. Arlie also cooks, provides advice, and tries to make everyone feel safe and comfortable at the shelter. He knows it can be tough for some to spend Christmas in the shelter. This time of year is kind of depressing when you see people in here close to Christmas, New Year's, you know, it's a holiday season, it's a time for giving and sharing, and it's hard to see some of them come in here and spend Christmas here with their children and stuff, so I do the best I can to help them. At Red Lake, there is a 60-day maximum stay and the average length of stay is 15 to 20 days. After that, Red Lake tries to provide resources for clients to find housing. Jordan says it's a lot of work, but the work is worth it. In Red Lake, Haiti Clotter, Lakeland News. The food donations were provided by Red Lake Inc. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.