Daytime temperatures in the 30s on Sunday and an overnight low of 19 degrees marked a seasonably chilly start of the winter shelter season in Lancaster County.
Traditionally, the county’s homelessness response system expands shelter capacity between Dec. 1 and the end of March. For 2024-25, additional beds will be coming online in several stages between now and early January.
ECHOS in Elizabethtown is opening its winter shelter today, Executive Ashley Bulley said. It has space for 42 individuals, including four rooms for families.
In Ephrata, Good Samaritan’s winter shelter will operate from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28 next year, spokeswoman Rachel Shelly said.
211
If you or someone you know needs emergency shelter, it’s a good idea to start by contacting United Way of Lancsater County’s PA 211 East referral service. You can do so by calling 211, texting your Zip code to 898211 or visiting the service’s website.
211’s resource coordinators conduct initial intake interviews and provide referrals. Going through 211 helps to ensure that you are directed to a facility with available beds and that staff are prepared for your arrival.
In Lancaster, Tenfold opened a temporary low-barrier shelter in early November behind its offices at 308 E. King St. Now maxed out at 57 beds, it is reaching full capacity every night and having to turn people away, CEO Shelby Nauman said.
Tenfold’s shelter is a stopgap until the opening of the permanent low-barrier shelter that is under construction at Otterbein United Methodist Church, 20 E. Clay St. It will be operated by YMCA of the Roses with funding provided by the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition.
It will initially open at around half capacity, 40 beds or so, then ramp up to its full capacity of 80 beds. As it does, Tenfold’s shelter will wind down, and it will close once the Otterbein shelter is fully operational.
Code Blue
Throughout the winter, nonprofits are asked to be ready to respond to “Code Blue” alerts, issued by the Lancaster County Homeless Coalition when major storms hit the area or temperatures or wind chills drop to dangerous levels.
During a Code Blue, organizations can help by
- Opening a warming center
- Extending their hours so clients can stay inside longer
- Distributing warm clothing, food and beverages
- Providing transportation to warming centers or other services
Here is more information on emergency shelters in Lancaster County, including seasonal and year-round facilities. Click the links to jump to a site:
- Elsewhere in Lancaster County:
Lancaster city
Tenfold
Tenfold’s 57-bed shelter at 308 E. King St. is open seven days a week from 7:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. It serves adults only and is low-barrier: Guests need not have ID or pass a background check, but must be able to look after themselves and not pose a danger to themselves or others.
Tenfold said last month it had secured enough financial donations to cover shelter operations. It continues to seek volunteers to help with staffing as well as donations of cold-weather gear and pre-packaged snacks and beverages.
Water Street Mission
Water Street’s Providence Emergency Shelter operates year-round and can house up to 76 people.
Individuals and families who need shelter can apply via 211 or at Water Street’s access center on its campus, 210 S. Prince St. Families in particular should use 211, because family placements are handled through a different system than individual adults.
There are separate areas for men and women. The men’s section has been full “almost continuously,” and the women’s shelter nearly so, Water Street spokesman Matt Clement said.
The access center’s hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Shelter applicants must have ID and be able to pass a Megan’s Law background check.
If there is no space at first, keep trying, Clement advised: Beds open up on a daily basis.
Besides emergency shelter, Water Street Mission offers transitional housing through its residential and family program, which provide an additional 94 beds. Their capacity depends on staffing and at present they are at their maximum, Clement said.
Water Street Mission welcomes financial and in-kind donations. Regarding the latter, the nonprofit maintains an Amazon wish list; at present, winter coats are especially needed, Clement said.
Coming soon:
Clay Street Shelter at Otterbein United Methodist Church
The Homelessness Coalition’s year-round adult low-barrier facility at 20 E. Clay St. will have 60 beds for men and 20 beds for women. It is slated to open shortly before Christmas, and the coalition is planning an open house to introduce it to the community.
Besides beds, the site will have bathrooms and showers. A handicap-accessible elevator is to be installed next year.
Elsewhere in Lancaster County
Columbia Shelter
Located at Columbia Presbyterian Church, 360 Locust St., Columbia, this shelter is open from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. 365 days a year.
There is enough space for 25 people, but “for staffing purposes” nightly admissions are capped at 20, the Rev. David Powers said. Nightly admissions have been holding steady at 17, he said.
Guests are subject to background checks, and the shelter is off limits to violent or sexual offenders.
Shower and laundry facilities are available and guests have access to the Columbia Dream Center’s Restart Day Center, open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Shelter guests must work toward goals and meet with Dream Center staff at least weekly.
Volunteers to staff the shelter are always a need, Powers said. The Dream Center welcomes financial and in-kind donations and maintains an Amazon wish list. High-need items at present include toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, coffee, creamer and sugar, Powers said.
Elizabethtown Emergency Shelter
ECHOS’ Elizabethtown Emergency Shelter at Community Place on Washington, 105 E. Washington St., Elizabethtown, can accommodate up to 42 people. There are separate dormitory areas for men and women and four rooms for families.
Guests must have a connection to northwest Lancaster County: Elizabethtown or surrounding areas. They can apply on site but are encouraged to call ahead at (717) 361-0740.
Besides beds, ECHOS offers showers, laundry facilities and case management. It welcomes donations and is actively seeking volunteers to help with the shelter and meal service.
Ephrata Winter Shelter
Good Samaritan Services and Living Ministries collaborate each year to offer an adult shelter at the ministry’s Living Room Church, 409 State St., Ephrata.
It will be open daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, 2025. A hot dinner is provided, and to-go breakfast items in the morning.
To apply, call Good Sam’s outreach coordinator at (717) 733-3395. Guests must have a connection to Ephrata.
Last year, the shelter averaged under 10 guests per night, and it’s expecting similar numbers this year, spokeswoman Rachel Shelley said.
While the shelter cannot accommodate families with children, they are encouraged to contact Good Sam to see if another program might fit their needs, Shelley said.
To keep the shelter running, “monetary donations from the community are crucial,” she said. Good Sam is also seeking volunteer shelter staff and in-kind donations of meals and shelter supplies.
