Lycoming County commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed November as National Homeless Awareness Month and urged residents to support local shelters as providers reported increased demand and detailed volunteer and donation needs.

The proclamation, signed by the three commissioners, cited statewide and local statistics, noting that “on any given day, over 12,000 Pennsylvanians are known to be homeless according to the Department of Community and Economic Development,” and that in Lycoming County “approximately 1 in 9 children experiences homelessness in any given year.”

Founders of the volunteer-run Code Blue Overnight Shelter described a winter shelter effort that operates January through March and is staffed nightly by volunteers. A Code Blue representative said the group is pursuing formal nonprofit status under the name Next Step Ministries of Williamsport Inc. and hopes to establish a year-round, professionally staffed day center to provide showers, laundry, rehabilitative services and a safe daytime space.

“We don't wanna duplicate the services offered by these organization[s] or enable homelessness, but rather, we wanna create an extension of their love and support for the least and the lost,” a Code Blue speaker said, describing efforts to move guests toward jobs and permanent housing.

Representatives of American Rescue Workers (ARW) told the board their three shelters provide about 69 beds per night and reported more than 25,000 bed nights of lodging per year across programs. At ARW's Saving Grace site, 24 beds are routinely full. ARW also described its Fresh Start long-term program for men (about 39 beds) and credited local employers with hiring program participants.

ARW officials said their food pantry served roughly 322 households and 823 people over a recent three-day surge, attributing the spike in part to disruptions in SNAP benefit administration. “Our food pantry was absolutely bonkers yesterday,” an ARW representative said, and staff asked residents and businesses to contribute targeted food donations and funds; ARW noted it can purchase food at about $0.19 per pound through the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

Both shelter groups asked for volunteers and donations; Code Blue described a meal-train model in which community members drop off prepared meals, and ARW described continuing needs for heating and building upgrades — including a pending boiler replacement and ceiling fans at a women's shelter funded in part with CDBG dollars.

Commissioners thanked the groups and encouraged residents to use established donation and volunteer channels. The meeting record includes announcements of holiday meal distributions and a December drive; details and contact options were provided verbally by shelter representatives.