23 Oct Keystone Mission preparing for upcoming winter in Scranton

Contributed by: Amelia Sack, WBRE/WYOU News

SCRANTON, PA — When the winter temps hit NEPA, a non-profit that helps people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity wants to be ready.

Winter weather is just around the corner and the team from Keystone Mission says they’re gearing up for guests at their Wilkes-Barre and Scranton shelters.

“Right now, we have already started rolling out our Code Blue Shelter. That’s our collaboration with the City of Scranton,” said Keystone Mission Program Director Lasha Wyman-Klein.

When the temperature or wind chill reaches 20° or below, the city will send out an alert, a blue light will go on, and the overnight shelter at Weston Field opens its doors.

“We also have our 365 overnight shelter in Wilkes-Barre that’s available for anyone that does not have shelter in the Wilkes-Barre area,” Wyman-Klein added.

They also provide services and resources for people during the day at their innovation centers.

Wyman-Klein says they’ve seen an increased need for their services over the past year.

“We are trending upwards in homeless individuals, homeless veterans, homeless youth, so we do expect an increase in the numbers of individuals that we will be sheltering this winter,” Wyman-Klein explained.

Now, they are seeking supply donations to help with the number of individuals they’ll serve in the months ahead.

“Homelessness is a community issue. Homelessness is an issue for everyone it’s a humanitarian issue,” Wyman-Klein stated.

Wyman-Klein says rising costs have caused different kinds of cases of homelessness.

“We’re talking about dual-income households, families, we’re seeing unique individuals that we have never seen before,” Wyman-Klein continued.

Lending the need for that much more help from the community this winter.

“The face of homelessness is you and I. The face of homelessness is people on your payroll, people in your classrooms, children in your classrooms, your coworkers, homelessness affects everyone. It knows no gender or demographic,” said Wyman-Klein.

Both the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton locations are in need of supplies like tents, hats, hand warmers, and coats.

See the full list here: https://www.keystonemission.org/donate-goods/