LANCASTER, Pa. — Lancaster County has seen a rise in homelessness in recent years, prompting community organizations to come together to support unhoused individuals. The latest effort is a locker bank in Lancaster, aimed at improving the lives of homeless individuals in the city.
The initiative addresses the challenges homeless individuals face in securing and protecting their belongings.
“Being homeless is hard enough, and then if you have to carry all your things with you, if you have to like constantly be worried about you know your ID getting stolen, or your medication. So I think everyone recognizes that there's a need,” said Amos Stoltzfus, the director of Southwest Lancaster Community.
Located on South Water Street in Lancaster, the locker bank has already seen 11 out of 12 lockers claimed. It is equipped with added security features including camera monitoring and solar lights, providing a safe and easily accessible storage solution for unhoused individuals.
“It's somewhat unpredictable where they might end up, like in the hospital, maybe even in jail or leaving the area and so sometimes that happens without us knowing," Stoltzfus said.
This is why the lockers have a custom set of rules and a contract that participants must sign every two weeks to ensure they are being used properly and consistently.
But Stoltzfus says it takes more than just the local community.
“What we really need to see next is other municipalities in the county doing something similar,” he said.
Lancaster resident George Snook agrees.
“I think everyone should pitch in throughout all the counties, it's everyone’s problem. You don't know what their story is, what they've been through.”
This doesn’t just apply to organizations though, Snook demonstrates that a simple act of kindness can make a difference.
"I buy them a pizza and give them a pizza. It's just a little thing I can do. It ain't going to solve the problem, but it'll help them for the day, the week, the month,” he said.
Initiatives like the Lancaster locker bank pilot program come at a time when advocates say the problem is getting worse.
“We're seeing a record number of folks that are living on the streets at a time when Lancaster doesn't have any low barrier shelter beds,” Stoltzfus says.
The Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition’s Point in Time Count reported nearly 600 homeless individuals in the county as of Jan. 24. Of those, 122 people were unsheltered and living outdoors.
This is a 13.5% increase since 2023 and the highest homelessness rate since 2010 when there were 602 homeless individuals.
With programs like the Lancaster Locker Pilot Program, advocates hope to continue making progress in addressing homelessness. Stoltzfus emphasized the goal of proving the program's effectiveness and encouraging other organizations to implement similar initiatives.
But with programs like the locker pilot program, advocates hope to continue making steps in the right direction.
“The goal really is to prove that we can do this and make it, and it works, and then encourage other organizations to do something similar,” Stoltzfus said.
The lockers will be available at the S. Water Street location until December when the property will be developed into an emergency shelter and community hub for the city's homeless population. A mission that Stoltzfus says is already underway.
According to Stoltzfus, organizers plan to paint a small mural on the sides of the locker bank and possibly post a bulletin board displaying where community members can access wash facilities and meals.
"I love the fact that we're already activating that space and having people kind of get familiar with this is the place where you go if you need information or if you need resources," Stoltzfus said.