PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Homeless shelters across central Pennsylvania are hitting full capacity as cold weather in the area persists.
"Last night we had only two open beds," said Bill Christian, director of Bethesda Mission's men's shelter. "It’s going to fill up, it’s going to get cold and we're at capacity right now."
Bethesda Mission in Harrisburg has faced an influx of people amid the drop in temperatures. However, it’s an increased need they’ve been seeing all year.
"This has been a very unusual year because our numbers have stayed high all through the summer," said Christian. "We’ve been at capacity or near capacity the entire time."
Lifepath Christian Ministries in York is facing a similar trend, one it expects to continue as the winter months wear on.
"We’ve been planning this for months," said Patrick Ball, interim CEO of Lifepath Christian Ministries. "The numbers we saw over the summer gave us an indication; we were going to see bigger numbers over the winter."
In preparation for the cold months, LifePath is changing its cold blue policy.
Instead of opening its doors when temperatures dip below 32, beds will be available for anyone in need on any day between Nov. 1 to March 31.
The organization says the change was necessary.
"This is just a basic human need. No one should have to sleep outside," said Ball. "People should be able to sleep inside especially when the weather is like it is now. We invite people who need this service to stop by, call us, get yourself out of the cold and we’ll take it from there."
Homeless shelters say they need more donations in the winter months, looking for hats and gloves on top of monetary donations.
They emphasize every little bit helps.
"It takes the community to make this happen," said Ball. "It’s not just us, it’s us with the community providing this service."
Anyone who is seeking shelter can call 717-472-8911 to register for Lifepath's services. More information can also be found on their website.