TAMPA — After leaving the military 40 years ago, Chicago native and veteran Vic DiTorrey settled in Tampa. He says the last year and a half of his life has not been a walk in the park.

“I was staying in an apartment over there, me and another guy were rooming together, and he died of a heart attack. When I got back, the landlord raised the rent $500 more dollars,” DiTorrey said.

With the increase, the rent amount matched his Social Security check of $1,600.

“I went out and bought me a sleeping bag,” said DiTorrey. He has been living on the streets ever since, through all kinds of unpleasant weather, including extreme heat and now freezing temperatures.

“It’s the coldest I’ve seen in Tampa," he said.

Hypothermia is a major cause of injury and death among the homeless, according to the National Health Care for Homeless Council. Cold weather shelters quickly reach capacity and are only activated when temperatures fall below a certain threshold.

“And they kick you out at 6 in the morning. The coldest part of the day,” DiTorrey added.

Since House Bill 1365 passed last October, sleeping in public places is now illegal across Florida.

“There are some over towards Water Street where I live that are being shovelled away into parks; they are not allowed to sleep on benches,” said Jayne Allen.

Allen is a holistic health professional who founded the ‘Influencers of Kindness’.

“I think that this is a problem that should not be ignored,” she said.

Every week, she brings food and clothing to the homeless. It’s a gesture of friendship that DiTorrey says he’s grateful for.

“Just got to deal with life. That’s the way it is,” DiTorrey said as he faced uncertainty about where he lay his head every night.