FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)— A national study found more than 700 people who are homeless die every year from cold weather. As temperatures in northeast Indiana drop, a local organization is doing what it can to help the unhoused population in Fort Wayne. On Wednesday, with the help of the community and a few volunteers, organizers were able to pass out blankets, coats, hats, scarfs and other cold weather essentials to the homeless population. Sally Segerson is the founder of Street Reach for the Homeless. She says in her 13 years of running the organization, she's seen dozens of people succumb to the elements, most often due to hypothermia. "These people are our neighbors, somebody's brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, whatever the case may be. They are just as important as those of us who are in a heated house and have that comfort that we're going to have," Segerson said. A common misconception is that hypothermia only occurs during extremely low temperatures, but that's not always the case. There's a risk even above 40 degrees, if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or submersion in cold water.