Increased demand for homeless shelters

SALISBURY, Md. – As it gets chillier outside, the demand for Salisbury shelters increases.

Hope and Life Outreach Ministries has seen community needs jump 22% in the last 10 months.

The Christian Shelter has also seen an increase to the point where they have to turn people away. “We’re being inundated with a lot of calls because unfortunately, we don’t have the space,” says Anthony Dickerson, the Executive Director of the Christian Shelter. 

On Monday, community shelters say there has been an unbelievable amount of guests they’ve seen in their facilities. The Hope and Life Outreach ministry tells us in the last ten months they’ve seen a significant jump. “A 22% increase, right now we’re at almost 80,000 meals and we’re not to the end of the year yet and I’m pretty confident we’re going to push over the 90,000 mark,” says Celeste Savage, the CEO and Executive Director of HALO Ministries.

HALO also serves the community by providing a place to stay at night, however, that too is full. “We are completely filled in the women’s shelter, probably about 3-4 beds available maybe in the men. Of course, thank the Lord cold weather shelter for men has opened so that has taken part of the load off,” says Savage.

The Christian Shelter in Salisbury is also seeing an increased need, they say they believe this is happening because many government assistance programs have ended. “Effective October-November, the rental assistance has stopped so that could be contributing to the challenges that many renters are having at this time,” says Dickerson.

Both Celeste Savage with the HALO Shelter and Anthony Dickerson with the Christian Shelter agree that mental health is also a growing concern in the homeless population. “Individuals who have some mental health challenges that could also be contributing to the homelessness,” says Dickerson.

Both shelters could use the communities help. HALO says they can serve more people if they get more volunteers to help serve and at the Christian Shelter, you can help out by donating non-perishable’s.