Homeless shelters in Philadelphia are filling up as the weather gets colder, but donation centers say they are experiencing an influx of supplies that helps them meet demand.
An employee for the Salvation Army Red Shield Family Residence explained that January is a popular month for donations because of tax breaks.
Claritza Jaquez of the Appletree Family Center for single women and families, explained the approximate 3,500-square-foot facility is not taking donations at this time.
“We don’t have the storage for it,” said Jaquez. “The room we used for donations is being used as shelter.”
In a staff Q&A for their website, Jaquez says on a busy Monday, she signs in over 60 people into the shelter.
Every year with the help of hundreds of volunteers, the city of Philadelphia conducts a Point-in-Time Count of all people experiencing homelessness in the street, shelters and temporary housing units.
Last year around this time, the official record of the Point-in-Time Count said there were 1,983 homeless people sheltered and unsheltered in Philadelphia.