Pittsburgh-area groups detail plans to assist homeless residents in winter months
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Living in encampments, the day-to-day lives of the hundreds of people experiencing homelessness are tough, and it's about to get tougher with the weather getting colder.
Multiple groups, faith-based and governmental, announced their plans to assist those looking for temporary shelter this winter in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
Director of Light of Life Rescue Mission Rev. Jerrell T. Gilliam told KDKA-TV, "We have 90 beds set aside in our emergency services building. If our beds are full, if there's another place that has some open beds, we'll provide transportation for them."
Rev. Darnell Leonard, CEO of the East End Cooperative Ministry, said the organization will be assisting as best it can. Leonard announced at a press conference on Thursday, "Our overflow shelter has an additional 20 beds. And overall, we have more than 70 beds and we're very near capacity."
Counted amongst those looking for shelter is an incredible amount of some of the most vulnerable of our population who could be left out in the cold.
A.J. Jefferson told KDKA-TV, "There's 3,122 students who have been identified as homeless in our county. In our state, there are 40,003."
Shelters in Allegheny County, as well as the city of Pittsburgh, will open on Code Blue days when the temperature drops below 26 degrees between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Leonard says donations and any other forms of assistance are appreciated.
"Behind all the suffering, pain and trauma and the challenge, there's a human being, and that human being has a heart. Where they're at right now isn't where they have to remain," Leonard said.
If you want more information on how you can help or need help finding temporary shelter check out the following links:
Allegheny County, East End Cooperative Ministry, Homeless Fund and Light of Life Rescue Mission