The cold temperatures often leads to overwhelmed overnight shelters as people search for places to get warm. The Erie City Mission is one of many places that provide resources for Erie's homeless population.

The kitchen was busy as staff and volunteers put the final touches on a meal that would feed over 100 people. The Erie City Mission provides breakfast and lunch every day.

Albert Jones, a resident at the Erie City Mission said,  "The mission has changed my life. I have been in programs before years ago, and this program has the greatest opportunities that I have ever been or ever seen."


For decades, the Erie City Mission has provided a place for men to stay and warm meals for those in need, but when weather turns, they become a place for all.
Erin Layden, the Director of Development for the Erie City Mission explained, "But if we were to open for an emergency shelter situation, that would be what we consider a warming center. The place we are sitting in right now is where we would house the women. It's more to get out of the cold, we offer some hot drinks, some blankets, they can lay down on the chairs and then the men would be housed in our day area if all our beds are filled."


In an effort to get people off these snow covered streets, the Erie City Mission has been offering numerous services, everything from beds to warm meals, even a day center for a place for people to warm up for for a few hours.


Staff often sees their day room and chapel fill up even more in the winter months. Although, they can only provide beds for men, they provide resources to women and children. "While we don't house women with children or families, we would never turn anyone away to go back out into the streets, so we would work very closely with them to connect them with a shelter that could take them as a whole family or the men would stay here and we could find a place for the women and children", said Layden.

If someone is in need a place to stay they can call 814-shelter to see if a bed is available. They hope to provide resources for women in the next few years.