Unity Recovery opens 24/7 to meet growing need of Allegheny County's unhoused population
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The need in Allegheny County's homeless community is great and growing. This time last year, 913 people in Allegheny County were staying in emergency shelters or were totally unsheltered.
And with a "code blue" set to last into next Monday, local organizations are doing what they can to make sure no one is left out in the cold, including one place that's now open 24/7, offering a kind of support found nowhere else in the country.
When the Smithfield Street shelter closed last year, it left a big gap in care for the homeless community in Allegheny County and the focus at Unity Recovery had to change too.
"When we first opened, I would say it was a little more long-term goals where individuals were more looking for jobs and education," said Unity Recovery director of operations Ryan Fean.
"Right now, it's a lot more like immediate needs," he added. "Something to eat, cup of coffee, socks, underwear."
Fean says their recovery community center on Pittsburgh's South Side went 24/7 earlier this month because they were approached by the county to fill the need for a drop-in center.
"We have this notion in America that it is their fault. But a lot of it is based on circumstances. These individuals are trying their best to survive," Fean said.
In last night's freezing cold, they hosted 30 people, including on their overflow cots.
"When it's not a code blue, they might be in once or twice a week. Now with the weather, they're here every day," Fean said.
Just this week, they've met with 151 individuals.
"It doesn't matter about their housing status or employment status or recovery status, they're a person first and they can come here and get treated like a person," Fean said.
And while other organizations offer peer support, this place has something that makes them unique.
"This location is the first 24/7 RCC opened in the country that is run only by peers," Fean said.
They know recovery looks different for everyone so they do ask people not to bring substances onto the property. Otherwise, come as you are.
"They can just come here and just sit down and have a moment of peace which is very few and far between for individuals who are unhoused and it's met with almost some exhaustion of 'finally,'" Fean said.
And everything is provided with the help of grants and donations. But they always need more resources.
"Allegheny County has been extremely helpful with providing additional resources so the center can be open 24/7 but the needs of the community outstrip almost anything that we can provide," Fean said.
Needs like cheap, stable, affordable housing.
"Nobody wants to be unhoused. Nobody wants to be out in the cold when it's 20 degrees out," Fean said. "It's up to us as humans to help other humans, right? To treat people like people. I know it's a crazy concept but they do deserve to be treated with love and care and respect."
Contributor: KDKA-TV Producer Tory Wegerski